Automated Testing for LLMOps

As a developer, the world of AI and software development is constantly evolving, and staying updated is key. I recently came across the Automated Testing for LLMOps short course by DeepLearning.AI, in collaboration with CircleCI. This beginner-level, hour-long course is a deep dive into the integration of AI in software development, focusing on automating development of large language models (LLMs) applications.

The course addresses a crucial aspect for software teams working on LLM-powered applications - evaluating and building trust in LLM outputs efficiently. By incorporating LLM evaluations into continuous integration, it reduces the risks associated with development, ensuring smoother transitions from development to production. For automated testing, there is rule-based testing (i.e. for this input I expect this kind of output), and then model-graded testing where you ask another LLM whether the output for sample questions obeys some instructions.

Interestingly, the course also highlights the rising importance of AI in software development. More teams are now focusing on enhancing existing models rather than building custom ones from scratch. It emphasises the significance of establishing best practices when implementing LLMs within applications. The course teaches automated testing techniques for model evaluations, equipping developers to deliver and maintain high-quality applications.

CircleCI's involvement is noteworthy as they emphasise the natural fit of CI/CD for testing LLM-powered applications. Their platform, already popular among developers for its intelligent automation and delivery tools, has seen a substantial increase in AI/ML projects, underscoring the growing trend of AI integration in software development.

For developers looking to stay ahead in the AI-powered software development space, this course seems like a valuable resource. It's not just about learning new tools; it's about understanding and integrating AI into our development processes to create more efficient, reliable, and innovative software solutions.