> Job as a programmer
> Work on a program to order stuff internally for the company
> New guy comes in the team
> Talks about how he wants to implement machine learning in the program
> "At least I can see where he is coming from"
> Says he wants to use llms for the task
> "Well, fuck"
> Higher-up says I should teach him machine learning for that reason tomorrow

How do I tell him and my higher-up, without sounding like an asshole or making it awkward, that it makes no sense to use ml (let alone llms) for this instead of some simple math? Also, if I have to teach him how ml works regardless, how do I explain it quickly, I really don't wanna give a whole presentation...? (Neither of them even know what an vector or matrix is, so I can't use math)

>>33202781 (OP)
teach them by making them put in a lot of effort so they will feel apprehensive from having to do it while masking it as a requirement to even begin the task in a way that isnt suspicious
if they ask you to do it as this is too difficult for them, tell them you would rather do it with simple math personally as you think it is more efficient for a single task

>>33202944
Probably the best solution, yeah.. Still doubt I will get around explaining ml to him, but that's good enough, thanks

>>33202781 (OP)
Are you perhaps misunderstanding what your boss asked you to do? It sounds more to me like your boss just wants you to explain to the new guy why an LLM is overkill for a shitty internal order program. I'd just show him this paper https://arxiv.org/pdf/2502.15840 or some video about it (most high grade LLMs failed to run a vending machine better than the human control).
You could definitely use ML for this but unless your boss says that it needs to be a thing that is in the program then I you probably don't have to take it too seriously. The new guy probably doesn't know jack shit about AI and you just have to explain to him why training a very expensive model to fail at a simple task is a bad idea for a small company.

Do the higher-ups understand that you need a dedicated server of H200s or 300s for just a single running instance of the LLM?

>>33203574
Unfortunately not, my boss does think it sounds reasonable (he has no clue what the difference is between an LLM or any other model). I'll probably just explain the surface stuff, let him do it and fail, when he asks for help I tell him to use simple math instead with all the benefits kek

>>33203746
They want to use an API-key, which beyond fucking retarded, they would literally pay for each order that is done on the program LOL

vp of eng here. you just say what you’re going to do and why. write out your plan with a reason behind it. make sure to point out the time estimates. most of the time they are just going to accept it without thinking. if they push back stand your ground with the time estimates. these time costs are the most important part of communicating engineering plans because everyone understands time

>>33202781 (OP)
uh, just use an llm and ask it very basic math questions like "how many days since January 15?" and watch it fail very badly in front of everyone

>>33202781 (OP)
I'm not sure I understand the situation correctly. The new guy has no clue about ML (since you need to teach him) yet the higher-ups take his suggestion regarding LLM seriously?
And I thought my team was fucked