Large Language Models with Semantic Search from Coursera

This course teaches the techniques needed to leverage LLMs into search.

Throughout the lessons, you’ll explore key concepts like dense retrieval, which elevates the relevance of retrieved information, leading to improved search results beyond traditional keyword search, and reranking, which injects the intelligence of LLMs into your search system, making it faster and more effective.

What's inside

Syllabus

Project Overview

Keyword search has been a common method for search for many years. But for content-rich websites like news media sites or online shopping platforms, the keyword search capability can be limiting. Incorporating large language models (LLMs) into your search can significantly enhance the user experience by allowing them to ask questions and find information in a much easier way.This course teaches the techniques needed to leverage LLMs into search.Throughout the lessons, you’ll explore key concepts like dense retrieval, which elevates the relevance of retrieved information, leading to improved search results beyond traditional keyword search, and reranking, which injects the intelligence of LLMs into your search system, making it faster and more effective. After completing the course, you will:(1) Know how to implement basic keyword search, the underpinnings of many search systems before language models became accessible.(2) Enhance keyword search with the rerank method, which ranks the best responses by relevance with the query.(3) Implement dense retrieval through the use of embeddings, a powerful NLP tool, which uses the actual semantic meaning of the text to carry out search, and vastly improves results.(4) Gain hands-on practice by working with large amounts of data and overcome challenges like varying search results and accuracy.(5) Implement language model-powered search into your website or project.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Incorporating large language models into search systems can improve user experience by allowing them to ask questions and find relevant information more easily

Provides hands-on experience with large datasets, which is valuable for learners who want to gain practical skills

Covers the latest techniques in search, including dense retrieval and reranking, which are highly relevant to the industry

Includes a mix of videos, readings, and discussions, offering a well-rounded learning experience for various preferences

Taught by Luis Serrano, an expert in natural language processing and information retrieval, which lends credibility to the course material

Requires extensive knowledge of computer science, including python, machine learning, and natural language processing, which may not be suitable for beginners or those without a technical background

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Large Language Models with Semantic Search with these activities:

Compile a Searchable Repository of Course Materials

Show steps

Create a personal repository of the most important course materials for easy reference.

Show steps

Gather and organize all relevant course materials.
Create a searchable index for the materials.
Regularly review and update the repository as new materials become available.

Review Information Retrieval

Show steps

Brush up on your knowledge of information retrieval to enhance your understanding of LLMs in search.

Browse courses on Information Retrieval

Show steps

Review the concepts of text processing, indexing, and ranking.
Explore different IR models, such as the vector space model and the probabilistic model.
Practice applying IR techniques to real-world datasets.

Keyword Search Practice

Show steps

Enhance your understanding of keyword search by practicing on different datasets.

Show steps

Use a keyword search tool to find relevant documents from a given dataset.
Analyze the results and identify the strengths and weaknesses of keyword search.

Six other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all nine activities

Guided Tutorial on Dense Retrieval

Show steps

Delve deeper into dense retrieval and its applications in search.

Show steps

Follow a guided tutorial on dense retrieval techniques.
Implement a dense retrieval model using a provided framework.
Evaluate the performance of your model on a real-world dataset.

Start a Personal Search Project

Show steps

Enhance your search skills by working on a personal project.

Show steps

Identify a specific search problem that you want to solve.
Gather and prepare a relevant dataset.
Develop and implement a search solution using the techniques learned in the course.
Evaluate the performance and user experience of your search solution.

Search Engine Project

Show steps

Apply your knowledge of LLMs in search by building a search engine for a specific domain.

Show steps

Define the scope and requirements of your search engine.
Gather and prepare a relevant dataset.
Develop and implement your search engine using LLMs.
Evaluate the performance and user experience of your search engine.

Write a Blog Post on LLMs in Search

Show steps

Share your knowledge and understanding of LLMs in search by writing a blog post.

Show steps

Choose a specific topic related to LLMs in search.
Research and gather information on the topic.
Write a well-structured and informative blog post.
Publish your blog post on a relevant platform.

Mentor Junior Developers in Search

Show steps

Share your knowledge and experience by mentoring junior developers in search.

Show steps

Find opportunities to connect with junior developers in search.
Provide guidance and support on search-related topics.
Review their work and provide constructive feedback.
Help them identify and overcome challenges in search.

Participate in a Search-Related Competition

Show steps

Challenge yourself and test your skills by participating in a search-related competition.

Show steps

Find a relevant search-related competition.
Study and prepare for the competition.
Participate in the competition and showcase your skills.
Analyze your performance and identify areas for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Large Language Models with Semantic Search will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Scientist

Data Scientists collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make better decisions. This course can help you build a foundation in data science, such as statistics, machine learning, and data mining. You'll also learn about the latest trends in data science, such as big data and artificial intelligence. This course may be useful for Data Scientists who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineers design, develop, and maintain machine learning models. This course can help you build a foundation in machine learning, such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and deep learning. You'll also learn about the latest trends in machine learning, such as reinforcement learning and generative adversarial networks. This course may be useful for Machine Learning Engineers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Business Analyst

Business Analysts help businesses identify and solve problems. This course can help you build a foundation in business analysis, such as problem solving, process improvement, and stakeholder management. You'll also learn about the latest trends in business analysis, such as agile development and data analytics. This course may be useful for Business Analysts who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make better decisions. This course can help you build a foundation in data analysis, such as data mining, statistical analysis, and data visualization. You'll also learn about the latest trends in data analysis, such as big data and artificial intelligence. This course may be useful for Data Analysts who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Web Developer

Web Developers design, develop, and maintain websites. This course can help you build a foundation in web development, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You'll also learn about the latest trends in web development, such as responsive design and server-side programming. This course may be useful for Web Developers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products. This course can help you build a foundation in product management, such as market research, product development, and product marketing. You'll also learn about the latest trends in product management, such as agile development and customer experience. This course may be useful for Product Managers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create and maintain technical documentation, such as user manuals, white papers, and training materials. This course can help you build a foundation in technical writing, such as technical writing principles, style guides, and documentation tools. You'll also learn about the latest trends in technical writing, such as online documentation and agile development. This course may be useful for Technical Writers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Software Developer

Software Developers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software applications. This course can help you build a foundation in the core concepts of software development, such as data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented programming. You'll also learn about the latest trends in software development, such as agile development and cloud computing. This course may be useful for Software Developers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Market Researcher

Market Researchers collect and analyze data to help businesses understand their customers and markets. This course can help you build a foundation in market research, such as survey design, data analysis, and market segmentation. You'll also learn about the latest trends in market research, such as online research and social media listening. This course may be useful for Market Researchers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

User Experience Designer

User Experience Designers design and evaluate user interfaces for websites, apps, and other products. This course can help you build a foundation in user experience design, such as human-computer interaction, usability engineering, and information architecture. You'll also learn about the latest trends in user experience design, such as mobile-first design and voice interaction. This course may be useful for User Experience Designers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Designer

Librarian

Librarians help people find and access information. This course can help you build a foundation in librarianship, such as information organization, reference services, and collection development. You'll also learn about the latest trends in librarianship, such as digital libraries and open access. This course may be useful for Librarians who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Librarian

Content Strategist

Content Strategists develop and execute content strategies for websites, blogs, and other marketing channels. This course can help you build a foundation in content strategy, such as content planning, content creation, and content measurement. You'll also learn about the latest trends in content strategy, such as content marketing and social media marketing. This course may be useful for Content Strategists who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Strategist

Natural Language Processing Engineer

Natural Language Processing Engineers design, develop, and maintain natural language processing systems. This course can help you build a foundation in natural language processing, such as text classification, text generation, and machine translation. You'll also learn about the latest trends in natural language processing, such as transformer models and language models. This course may be useful for Natural Language Processing Engineers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Natural Language Processing Engineer

Information Retrieval Specialist

Information Retrieval Specialists design, develop, and maintain information retrieval systems. This course can help you build a foundation in information retrieval, such as text indexing, text ranking, and query processing. You'll also learn about the latest trends in information retrieval, such as neural search and semantic search. This course may be useful for Information Retrieval Specialists who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Retrieval Specialist

Search Engine Optimizer

Search Engine Optimizers optimize websites to improve their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This course can help you build a foundation in search engine optimization, such as keyword research, link building, and content optimization. You'll also learn about the latest trends in search engine optimization, such as voice search and local search. This course may be useful for Search Engine Optimizers who want to learn more about large language models and how they can be used to improve search applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Search Engine Optimizer