The TWIML AI Podcast · Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Chris Potts reflects on how the rise of AI and large language models has impacted the field of linguistics and NLP. While traditional linguistics is invigorated by AI's ability to model language, NLP faces an uncertain future due to the dominance of large, pre-trained models, making independent research more challenging.
“For the linguists, I feel like this is the most exciting moment that anyone could have dreamed of.”
“For NLP, I think it's a more uncertain prospect because pre the arrival of, like pre-trained models, which for me would be like the Elmo model, back in 2017, 2018.”
“And that caused an interesting, probably overall productive, but interesting and challenging crisis for people, especially students who were trying to figure out what to do next with their PhD research.”