THU AM News: Small language models could address some AI concerns, expert says; Froedtert & MCW piloting new diagnostic test for sepsis

August 22, 2024

— Smaller, localized versions of AI language models could help address emerging concerns around data privacy and the cost of the technology.

That’s one insight from Darren Oberst, CEO of Ai Bloks and AI framework platform LLMWare, who spoke this week as part of Forward Festival in Madison. He was hosted by the MadAI group, a community of AI professionals in the Madison area.

While interest in large language models such as ChatGPT has only risen as the technology matures, Oberst noted tech industry leaders such as Sam Altman and Elon Musk have discussed the risk of AI developing too quickly. Meanwhile, companies have also been raising concerns around their sensitive data being exposed through the use of AI, he said.

“All is not rosy in generative AI land, there are some real storm clouds on the horizon,” Oberst said. “And we actually believe that small language models have a very important role to play as part of the solution to address many of those concerns.”

Small language models, or SLMs, are created and trained using the same mathematical functions as the high-profile large language models, he explained. The key difference is they have far fewer “parameters,” or variables that influence how the model functions.

While the “mega models” can include hundreds of billions of parameters, the SLMs typically have between 1 billion and 10 billion parameters. Unlike the large models, which often operate on a cloud-based interface due to their large processing requirements, the smaller models can be run on a “medium to high-end laptop … privately, locally, securely, entirely on your machine.”

Oberst said that’s useful for sensitive information such as health data, investigations and government information, as it doesn’t run the risk of exposure. While SLMs still need to be trained on the cloud, once they’re up and running they no longer need to be connected to the broader information ecosystem, he said.

And though they’re smaller, Oberst said SLMs can perform most of the same tasks that applications like ChatGPT are used for, such as getting fact-based answers to questions and basic analysis.

“My experience is that a small model can probably do 80% to 90% of what the ‘mega model’ can do … but you’re going to be able to do it at probably 1/100th the cost,” he said.

That’s particularly useful for highly specific use cases, he said, as a small business or academic team could take a model that’s about 80% accurate and boost it to 95% accurate when targeted for that specialized task.

“The real promise of small models is not just, ‘Oh look, it can kind of do sort of what a big model can do,’” he said. “The idea is that because it is so much smaller, lower cost to adapt, and deployable privately, you can start adapting these models, fine-tuning them … instead of thinking about I’ve got one big model, I’ve got 10 smaller models, each of which does a specific task or purpose for me.”

Watch the video.

— Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee is piloting a new diagnostic test for sepsis, when a patient has an extreme and sometimes deadly response to an infection.

San Francisco company Cytovale yesterday announced Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network have begun screening patients with its IntelliSep blood-based test. The announcement notes Froedtert Hospital is the first in Wisconsin and in the Midwest to use the technology.

Nathan Ledeboer, chief of clinical pathology at the Medical College of Wisconsin says a definitive test for sepsis is a “valuable addition” to its sepsis management program. MCW researchers have been working with the Cytovale team over multiple years, he noted in the release.

“We see the potential impact a sepsis test can have on improving patient care and streamlining efficiencies in hospital operations,” he said.

Sepsis is characterized by widespread inflammation within the body that can result in organ damage and failure and even death. The release notes it’s the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals, making up a third of all in-hospital deaths in the country.

Ledeboer says MCW is “well aware of the difficulty” in identifying patients with sepsis when they come to the emergency room, as it can be hard to differentiate from ordinary infections or other conditions.

“This is the first blood test our clinicians have ever had in their toolbox that provides valuable insight into a patient’s immune system to detect sepsis earlier and make more informed treatment decisions,” he said.

The IntelliSep test has “enabled a 30% reduction in relative risk” of death based on data from other health systems, according to Cytovale. The company says it results in average savings of $1,429 per patient by reducing the number of blood draws and the amount of time patients spend in the emergency department.

See the release.

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— Madison-based startup SpayVac for Wildlife has completed its new research and production facility for veterinary contraceptive vaccines, the company announced recently.

Using technology licensed from BioVaxys Technology Corp, the business is planning to commercialize its fertility control products for deer, horses and other animals. They’re aimed at animal management and population control for “overabundant and invasive” species, according to the company’s website.

It has recently expanded its laboratory and leased additional space with financial support from the BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation and angel investors.

“I’m enthusiastic about the many benefits of this space,” SpayVac for Wildlife CEO Tom Do’Orazio said in a statement. “It is flexible enough for us to do both our research and small-scale production.”

See more at Madison Startups.

— Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin have announced WisTax, a new, free online service for Wisconsinites to file their taxes directly with the IRS starting in the 2025 filing season.

They said the program will ensure Wisconsinites don’t face unexpected fees for filing their taxes.

WisTax will allow eligible Wisconsinites to file their taxes by uploading electronic copies of their tax documents and income information and filling out the appropriate online form. The Internal Revenue Service’s direct file program was established under the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in 2022.

Baldwin, D-Madison, said she supported the Inflation Reduction Act to put more money back into working families’ pockets, not to pad the profits of third-party companies charging junk fees.

“Filing your taxes should be easy and free, but right now the system is rigged to line the pockets of giant third-party tax-prep companies, and Wisconsinites are left wasting hours and hundreds of dollars each year,” she said.

Evers said the program will allow Wisconsinites to file their taxes “securely, easily, and for free” without “surprise fees.”

“This is going to save hardworking folks time and money, and we look forward to seeing how the Direct File and new WisTax programs will work together to better serve Wisconsinites when tax season comes around in 2025,” the guv said.

The IRS’ direct file program began as a pilot program in 12 states this year and users saved an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees, according to Baldwin’s release. The agency announced it would make the program permanent in May, with no limit on the number of participating states.

Wisconsin is the latest state to take advantage of the program, along with Oregon, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Connecticut and North Carolina.

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