[kreetx]

Any statistical model does this.

[cubefox]

Statistical models have just a few parameters, machine learning models have billions. Possibly more than a trillion.

[kreetx]

The number can be anything, is there a number at which "we don't know" starts?

The model's parameters are in your RAM, you insert the prompt, it runs through the model and gives you a result. I'm sure if you spend a bit of time, you could add some software scaffolding around the process to show you each step of the way. How is this different from a statistical model where you "do know"?

[cubefox]

For just a few parameters, you can understand the model, because you can hold it in your mind. But for machine learning models that's not possible, as they are far more complex.

[kreetx]

So a 150 parameter model we "don't understand how it works"?