https://julin.ai/tags/explainer/Recent content in Explainer on Ju Lin's AI WeblogHugoen-usSun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +1200https://julin.ai/2026/08/23/neural-network-eli5/Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +1200https://julin.ai/2026/08/23/neural-network-eli5/<style> .nn{ --nn-wrong:#c62828 } .nn svg{max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;margin:1.25rem 0} .nn .node{fill:var(--bg);stroke:var(--text);stroke-width:2.2} .nn .node-lit{fill:var(--accent);stroke:var(--accent)} .nn .wire{stroke:var(--border);stroke-width:1.8;fill:none} .nn .flow{stroke:var(--accent);stroke-width:3;fill:none;stroke-dasharray:5 15;animation:nn-flow 1.5s linear infinite} .nn .flow.no{stroke:var(--nn-wrong)} @keyframes nn-flow{to{stroke-dashoffset:-40}} .nn .lbl{font-size:13px;fill:var(--text-muted);text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.04em} .nn .big{font-size:26px;font-weight:600;fill:var(--accent)} .nn .big.no{fill:var(--nn-wrong)} .nn .dial-wire{fill:none;animation:nn-dial-width 6s ease-in-out infinite,nn-dial-color 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43%,64%{stroke:var(--accent)} 76%,98%{stroke:var(--text-muted)} 100%{stroke:var(--text-muted)} } @keyframes nn-dial-label-1{ 0%,29%{opacity:1} 35%,96%{opacity:0} 100%{opacity:1} } @keyframes nn-dial-label-2{ 0%,39%{opacity:0} 45%,62%{opacity:1} 68%,100%{opacity:0} } @keyframes nn-dial-label-3{ 0%,72%{opacity:0} 78%,96%{opacity:1} 100%{opacity:0} } .nn .s06-fwd{animation:nn-flow 1.5s linear infinite,nn-phase-fwd 6s ease-in-out infinite} .nn .s06-back{animation:nn-flow 1.5s linear infinite,nn-phase-back 6s ease-in-out infinite} @keyframes nn-phase-fwd{ 0%,42%{opacity:1} 48%,100%{opacity:0} } @keyframes nn-phase-back{ 0%,48%{opacity:0} 54%,92%{opacity:1} 98%,100%{opacity:0} } .nn text.s06-fwd{animation:nn-phase-fwd 6s ease-in-out infinite} .nn text.s06-back{animation:nn-phase-back 6s ease-in-out infinite} .nn .tick{stroke:var(--accent);stroke-width:2;stroke-linecap:round;transform-box:view-box;animation:nn-wobble 2s ease-in-out infinite} @keyframes nn-wobble{ 0%,100%{transform:rotate(-13deg)} 50%{transform:rotate(13deg)} } .nn .node-outcome{animation:nn-node-outcome 6s ease-in-out infinite} @keyframes nn-node-outcome{ 0%,42%{fill:var(--nn-wrong);stroke:var(--nn-wrong)} 54%,100%{fill:var(--accent);stroke:var(--accent)} } @media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){ .nn .flow{animation:none;stroke-dasharray:none;opacity:.9} .nn .flow.s06-back{opacity:0} .nn .dial-wire,.nn .dial-ring,.nn .dial-needle,.nn .dial-label{animation:none} .nn .dial-wire,.nn .dial-needle{stroke:var(--accent);stroke-width:3} .nn .dial-ring{stroke:var(--accent)} .nn .dial-label.label-2{opacity:1} .nn .tick{animation:none} .nn text.s06-fwd{animation:none;opacity:0} .nn text.s06-back{animation:none;opacity:1} .nn .node-outcome{animation:none;fill:var(--accent);stroke:var(--accent)} } </style> <div class="nn"> <p>A machine that learns by getting things wrong.</p>https://julin.ai/2026/08/22/next-token-prediction-eli5/Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +1200https://julin.ai/2026/08/22/next-token-prediction-eli5/<style> .tok svg{max-width:100%;height:auto;display:block;margin:1.25rem 0} .tok .wire{stroke:var(--border);stroke-width:1.8;fill:none} .tok .flow{stroke:var(--accent);stroke-width:3;fill:none;stroke-dasharray:5 15;animation:tok-flow 1.5s linear infinite} @keyframes tok-flow{to{stroke-dashoffset:-40}} .tok .lbl{font-size:13px;fill:var(--text-muted);text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.04em} .tok .chip{fill:var(--bg);stroke:var(--border);stroke-width:1.6} .tok .chip-lit{fill:var(--accent-light);stroke:var(--accent)} .tok .chip-text{font-size:14px;fill:var(--text)} .tok .chip-text-lit{fill:var(--accent-dark);font-weight:600} .tok .bar{fill:var(--border)} .tok .bar-win{fill:var(--accent)} .tok .bar-fade{fill:var(--border);opacity:.4} .tok .pulse{animation:tok-pulse 1.8s ease-in-out infinite} @keyframes tok-pulse{0%,100%{opacity:1}50%{opacity:.55}} .tok .cursor{fill:var(--accent);animation:tok-blink 1s step-end infinite} @keyframes tok-blink{0%,100%{opacity:1}50%{opacity:0}} .tok .cyc{opacity:0} .tok .cyc1{animation:tok-cyc1 5s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .cyc2{animation:tok-cyc2 5s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .cyc3{animation:tok-cyc3 5s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .cyc4{animation:tok-cyc4 5s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .cyc5{animation:tok-cyc5 5s ease-in-out infinite} @keyframes tok-cyc1{0%,2%{opacity:0}4%,18%{opacity:1}20%,100%{opacity:0}} @keyframes tok-cyc2{0%,22%{opacity:0}24%,38%{opacity:1}40%,100%{opacity:0}} @keyframes tok-cyc3{0%,42%{opacity:0}44%,58%{opacity:1}60%,100%{opacity:0}} @keyframes tok-cyc4{0%,62%{opacity:0}64%,78%{opacity:1}80%,100%{opacity:0}} @keyframes tok-cyc5{0%,82%{opacity:0}84%,98%{opacity:1}100%{opacity:0}} .tok .track{fill:var(--border);opacity:.35} .tok .fillbar{fill:var(--border)} .tok .fillbar.win{fill:var(--accent)} .tok .tbl{opacity:0} .tok .tbl1{animation:tok-tbl1 20s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .tbl2{animation:tok-tbl2 20s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .tbl3{animation:tok-tbl3 20s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .tbl4{animation:tok-tbl4 20s ease-in-out infinite} @keyframes tok-tbl1{0%,1%{opacity:0}3%,20%{opacity:1}22%,100%{opacity:0}} @keyframes tok-tbl2{0%,26%{opacity:0}28%,45%{opacity:1}47%,100%{opacity:0}} @keyframes tok-tbl3{0%,51%{opacity:0}53%,70%{opacity:1}72%,100%{opacity:0}} @keyframes tok-tbl4{0%,76%{opacity:0}78%,92%{opacity:1}94%,100%{opacity:0}} .tok .rw{opacity:0} .tok .rw1{animation:tok-rw1 20s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .rw2{animation:tok-rw2 20s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .rw3{animation:tok-rw3 20s ease-in-out infinite} .tok .rw4{animation:tok-rw4 20s ease-in-out infinite} @keyframes tok-rw1{0%,18%{opacity:0}20%,100%{opacity:1}} @keyframes tok-rw2{0%,43%{opacity:0}45%,100%{opacity:1}} @keyframes tok-rw3{0%,68%{opacity:0}70%,100%{opacity:1}} @keyframes tok-rw4{0%,90%{opacity:0}92%,100%{opacity:1}} @media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){ .tok .flow{animation:none;stroke-dasharray:none;opacity:.9} .tok .pulse{animation:none;opacity:1} .tok .cursor{animation:none;opacity:1} .tok .cyc{animation:none;opacity:0} .tok .cyc5{animation:none;opacity:1} .tok .tbl{animation:none;opacity:0} .tok .rw{animation:none;opacity:1} } </style> <div class="tok"> <p>An AI writes one little piece at a time. It never knows the whole sentence up front — it only ever picks <strong>what comes next</strong>.</p>