Exploring GPT-3: An unofficial first look at the general-purpose language processing API from OpenAI

I will admit, I was a bit hesitant at first thinking this would be another book written for developers in dev-speak that would require the reader to have back knowledge in code concepts etc to really get practical value of it. And as a no-coder, it would be less useful for me. (I needed more of a ‘GPT-3 for Dummies’ version. Well I was pleasantly surprised that this was NOT the case.In fact, I would recommend this book particularly for no-coders & low-coders interested in AI and wanting to use it (if not today, someday) or just trying to get a grasp around what is currently available out there. And here’s why… If a developer read the docs on OpenAi’s webpage for GPT-3, they would get it..and know how to implement and use it, because.. using apis and curl and python etc is part of their jargon. When I tried, I understood the concepts yes…but still didn’t know how I would actually use it to make something work beyond experimenting in the GPT-3 playground on the OpenAI website. ‘Exploring GPT-3’ bridged that gap for me in a number of ways.Here’s what Steve & Bret did exceptionally well in this book:1. Broke down the concepts, constraints, and use cases akin to ‘Tell it to me like I’m a 5th Grader’… (which may have actually been him running the text through GPT-3 for the right copy to include in the book. Lol.) But seriously, the concepts, and explanations are very accessible and understandable.2. Lots of exercises and step-by-step practice in using the OpenAI API which not only gives you experience using it (in an API application like postman or paw, or in code like nodeJs and python), but removes a lot of fear around this being ‘too dev’ for me to be able to use on my own as a newbie in the AI world.3. More than 15 Code projects in both of the most popular web languages (javascript & python), which are usually the 2 that people learning web dev start with, so this makes it something that they can use immediately and repeatedly as a step in their own coding journey (rather than a detour away from it). If you haven’t picked one yet, and wanted to test the water… this book gives you a great feel for both in a way that you can easily compare which works better for you. (I decided on going the javascript route)4. He even talks beyond the pure code part of using the API into considerations and requirements you will face when it comes time to get your application approved to use in the real world. So it is a real end to end curriculum to get anyone up and running creating their GPT-3 project and launching it to the world.And of course, having a solid foundation and orientation through this book, digesting and using the official OpenAI docs is a lot easier, and I know how to make sense and use them now. (Which will come in handy as I tackle fine tuning soon (which was released sometime after the book was completed).Final words of advice, even though you can just read through it and get it…definitely actually type out the code and get it up and working (if you are a new to coding or no-coder like I am). The practice and gaining familiarity in using the API, will be a skill you will use in your no-code projects for sure.Well that’s my tl;dr. for those considering it… it’s worth it. For developers, your mileage may vary if you understand the OpenAI documentation directly, but for everyone else this is a great onramp to get started beyond the OpenAI playground and actually build your first application using the OpenAI API.-€

I enjoyed the book but half way through I got lost in technicalities. I recommend it if you are into programming

About This BookThis book looks into how GPT-3 and how to interact with it. Examples are given in both Python and Javascript, though you don’t need any more than the given code to work the examples. There are a large number of examples included and a lot of advice on how to get the most out of one of the largest NLP models that exists.Who Is This For?The main audience for this book is anyone who wants to use GPT-3 in their software or website. One of the best parts of the book is that you don’t need to be technically inclined to any of the examples. But if you are a software developer, you can do a lot with GPT-3.OrganizationThere are three sections: introduction, getting started, and digging into the API. The book starts with everything you need to prepare for the remainder of the rest of the book. The final chapter details considerations if you intend to put your GPT-3 work into production. All in all, the layout is solid. Each chapter is kept simple, starting with the technical requirements and ending with a summary.Did This Book Succeed?This book really is everything included in this book, as the GPT-3 API is simple. By reading this book, you’ll know everything you’ll need to implement GPT-3 in nearly any way you choose. I can’t think of anything that is missing or and superfluous material.Rating and Final ThoughtsOverall, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5.Technically, GPT-3 is simple enough for a series of blog entries, so I have to question the need for this book. However, the author did an excellent job in keeping everything to the point and making sure you knew how much your inquiries are going to cost you. It’s well written with both fun and serious examples to show you the power and the drawbacks of GPT-3.

The API has changed since this book was first published in 2021. But for a Reader in 2023, this is still a great start to learn the breadth of capabilities in GPT-3.The coding examples in multiple languages get a bit repetitive. The Author could have put more emphasis on the API completions and results. Completions are the big payoff for each OpenAI API call, but the book displays them using small screenshots.But for a quick understanding of classifiers, summarizations, completions, and chatbots.... this is a pretty good book.

This is an excellent introduction to the transformative GPT-3 conversational AI platform - essentially allowing someone with zero to little technical knowledge to be able to navigate use-cases like chatbots and AI-based text comprehension. The book is split into three parts, with the first two talking about the basics of the technology (what is API, how to use it, Curl/Postman etc.), and how to get started with the OpenAI public beta. In addition, there is a choice of languages with most examples available in both Javascript & Python - so you can use whatever works for you. The 3rd section will be something that advanced users might want to start with straightaway - with immediate use-cases being highlighted with full code availability. Essentially, for a book that works almost entirely on an API - there is a tremendous amount of content which would be useful for anyone who is even tangentially interested in exploring where AI in text is going. Highly recommended

Kaum was neues gelernt oder etwas was man nicht nachgoogeln kann

Thought this was well laid out and well written. Outdated? Of course, there will be changes for example to the pricing of GTP-3, but these are small points. I thought the writers did a great job of explaining a complex topic - loved it