How does a GPT Process Inputs?

When a user enters a query into a GPT tool and presses "enter," a series
of steps are initiated to process the query and generate a response.
Query Example:
"Can you provide a detailed explanation of how a query is processed when
a user enters a question into a GPT tool?"
Steps of Processing:
1. Input Reception:
o The user's query is received by the GPT tool's user interface.

2. Tokenization:
o The query is broken down into smaller units called tokens.
Tokens can be words, subwords, or even characters
depending on the model's tokenization strategy. For the given
query, the tokenization might look like:
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["Can", "you", "provide", "a", "detailed", "explanation", "of",
"how", "a", "query", "is", "processed", "when", "a", "user",
"enters", "a", "question", "into", "a", "GPT", "tool", "?"]
3. Input Encoding:
o These tokens are converted into numerical representations
(embeddings) that the model can understand. Each token is
mapped to a high-dimensional vector.

4. Model Processing:
o The encoded tokens are fed into the GPT model. The model
consists of multiple layers of transformers. Each layer
performs complex mathematical operations involving
attention mechanisms and neural network computations. The
process involves:
 Attention Mechanism: This allows the model to focus
on different parts of the input query, understanding
context and relationships between words.
  Feedforward Neural Networks: These further
process the information and generate intermediate
representations.

5. Decoding:
o After processing the input through its layers, the model
generates a sequence of output tokens. This is done by
predicting the next token in the sequence iteratively until a
complete and coherent response is formed. The process can
be thought of as:
 Start with a beginning token (often a special token like
<|startoftext|>).
 Predict the next token based on the input and the
tokens generated so far.
 Repeat this process until an end condition is met (like
generating a special end token or reaching a maximum
length).

6. Post-Processing:
o The generated tokens are converted back into human-
readable text. This involves mapping the numerical
representations back to words or subwords and combining
them into a coherent response.

7. Response Delivery:
o The final text is sent back to the user interface where it is
displayed to the user as the response to their query.
Example in Detail:
 User Input: "Can you provide a detailed explanation of how a
query is processed when a user enters a question into a GPT tool?"
 Tokenization:
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["Can", "you", "provide", "a", "detailed", "explanation", "of", "how",
"a", "query", "is", "processed", "when", "a", "user", "enters", "a",
"question", "into", "a", "GPT", "tool", "?"]
  Encoding:
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[2345, 5678, 3456, 1234, 6789, 7890, 2345, 6789, 1234, 3456,
5678, 4567, 2345, 6789, 1234, 4567, 2345, 6789, 1234, 3456,
7890, 2345]
 Model Processing:
o The tokens are processed through several transformer layers.
o The model calculates attention scores, combines them with
the embeddings, and passes through feedforward networks.
o Intermediate states are used to predict the next tokens in the
sequence.
 Decoding:
o The model starts generating tokens based on the processed
input:
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["The", "query", "is", "received", "and", "tokenized", "into",
"smaller", "units", "..."]
o This continues until the full response is generated.

 Post-Processing:
o The tokens are converted back into text:
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"The query is received and tokenized into smaller units. These
tokens are then encoded into numerical representations that
the model processes through multiple layers..."
 Response Delivery:
o The text is displayed to the user in the GPT tool interface.
This entire process happens almost instantaneously, leveraging the
powerful capabilities of the transformer architecture and the vast training
the model has undergone on diverse datasets.
 Tokens and Vectors
1. Tokens:
o Tokens are the basic units of text that the model processes. A
token can be a word, a subword (part of a word), or even a
single character, depending on the tokenization strategy used.
2. Vectors:
o In the context of machine learning and natural language
processing (NLP), a vector is an array of numbers that
represent certain characteristics of the token. These numbers
are often referred to as the token's embedding.
High-Dimensional Vectors
 High-Dimensional Space:
o The term "high-dimensional" refers to the fact that each token
is represented in a space with many dimensions. For instance,
a typical word embedding might be a vector with 300
dimensions, while modern transformer models like GPT might
use embeddings with 768, 1024, or even more dimensions.
 Embedding Process:
o The process of converting a token into its vector
representation is known as embedding. This is done using an
embedding matrix, which is a large table where each row
corresponds to a unique token, and each column corresponds
to a dimension of the vector.
o For example, if we have an embedding space with 300
dimensions, the word "cat" might be represented by a vector
with 300 numbers, like:
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[0.12, -0.45, 0.98, ..., 0.05]
Why High-Dimensional?
 Capturing Meaning:
o High-dimensional vectors are used because they can capture
complex relationships and meanings between tokens. Each
dimension of the vector can encode different types of
information, such as syntactic properties (e.g., part of speech)
and semantic properties (e.g., meaning).
  Similarity and Relationships:
o In this high-dimensional space, tokens that are semantically
similar (like "cat" and "kitten") will have vectors that are close
to each other. This allows the model to understand and
process the text more effectively.
Example
Let's take an example to make this concrete:
 Suppose we have a sentence: "The cat sat on the mat."
 After tokenization, we might get tokens like ["The", "cat", "sat",
"on", "the", "mat"].
 Each of these tokens is then mapped to a high-dimensional vector.
For simplicity, let's assume our vectors are 3-dimensional (in reality,
they are much larger).
o "The" -> [0.1, -0.2, 0.4]
o "cat" -> [0.3, 0.8, -0.5]
o "sat" -> [-0.6, 0.2, 0.7]
o "on" -> [0.0, 0.3, -0.1]
o "the" -> [0.1, -0.2, 0.4] (same as "The")
o "mat" -> [0.5, -0.1, 0.2]
 These vectors are then used by the model to process the sentence.
The relationships between these vectors help the model understand
the structure and meaning of the sentence.
Summary
In summary, mapping each token to a high-dimensional vector involves
representing each token as an array of numbers in a space with many
dimensions. This allows the model to capture complex relationships and
meanings between tokens, enabling it to process and understand natural
language effectively.
 Tokenisation: Comparison of Documents
Example: Compare two political manifestos using GPT
Step-by-Step Process
1. Input Reception and Tokenization:
o Reception: The model receives the text of the two political
manifestos.
o Tokenization: Each manifesto is tokenized into smaller units
(tokens), just as with any input text. For example, "We believe
in freedom and justice for all" might be tokenized into ["We",
"believe", "in", "freedom", "and", "justice", "for", "all"].
2. Encoding:
o The tokens from each manifesto are converted into high-
dimensional vectors using the model's embedding matrix. This
results in two sets of vectors, one for each manifesto.
3. Contextual Understanding:
o The model processes these token vectors through multiple
layers of transformers, which help it understand the context
and relationships within each document. This involves:
 Self-Attention Mechanism: The model attends to
different parts of each document to capture the
importance and relationships between tokens.
 Intermediate Representations: At each layer, the
model generates intermediate representations that
encapsulate more contextual information about the
tokens.
4. Feature Extraction:
o The model extracts features from the processed tokens. These
features might include key themes, policies, ideological
stances, sentiment, and more. This is typically done by
looking at the final layers' output, which contains the most
contextually rich information.
5. Document-Level Embeddings:
o To compare the manifestos, the model might aggregate the
token-level representations into a document-level
representation. This could be achieved by averaging the token
vectors, using the vector corresponding to a special [CLS]
 token (in models like BERT), or employing other pooling
strategies.

6. Comparison:
o The model then compares these document-level embeddings.
This comparison can be done in various ways:
 Cosine Similarity: Measures the cosine of the angle
between two vectors, indicating how similar they are.
 Euclidean Distance: Measures the straight-line
distance between two vectors in high-dimensional
space.
 Dot Product: Measures the extent to which two vectors
are in the same direction.
7. Analysis:
o The model analyzes the similarities and differences between
the two document embeddings. This might involve identifying
overlapping themes, contrasting policies, and different tones
or sentiments.
8. Generation of Comparison Report:
o Finally, the model generates a text-based comparison report.
This involves decoding the analysis into human-readable
language. The report might highlight:
 Common Themes: Shared values or policies.
 Differences: Divergent viewpoints or unique proposals.
 Sentiment Analysis: Differences in tone and
sentiment.
 Rhetorical Strategies: Different approaches in
presenting arguments.
Example Illustration
Let's consider two simplified manifestos:
 Manifesto A: "We promise to improve healthcare, reduce taxes,
and promote education."
 Manifesto B: "Our aim is to enhance healthcare, cut down taxes,
and support education."
1. Tokenization:
 o Manifesto A: ["We", "promise", "to", "improve", "healthcare",
",", "reduce", "taxes", ",", "and", "promote", "education", "."]
o Manifesto B: ["Our", "aim", "is", "to", "enhance", "healthcare",
",", "cut", "down", "taxes", ",", "and", "support", "education",
"."]

2. Encoding:
o Each token is mapped to its vector representation.
3. Contextual Understanding:
o The model processes these vectors through transformer layers
to capture context.
4. Feature Extraction:
o Extracts themes such as "healthcare," "taxes," and
"education."
5. Document-Level Embeddings:
o Aggregates the token vectors into two document-level
vectors.
6. Comparison:
o Calculates cosine similarity or another metric between the two
document vectors.
7. Analysis:
o Identifies that both manifestos emphasize similar themes
(healthcare, taxes, education) but uses slightly different
wording.
8. Generation of Comparison Report:
o Generates a report like: "Both manifestos emphasize
healthcare, tax reduction, and education. Manifesto A uses
'improve' and 'reduce,' while Manifesto B uses 'enhance' and
'cut down.' Both share similar goals but differ slightly in their
phrasing."
Summary
Comparing two documents with a GPT model involves several steps,
including tokenization, contextual understanding through transformer
layers, feature extraction, and sophisticated comparison techniques. The
process leverages the model's deep understanding of language to provide
meaningful insights and generate a detailed comparison report. This
capability showcases the advanced nature of modern NLP models like
GPT.
 The Transformer Model
The transformer model, introduced in the paper "Attention is All You
Need" by Vaswani et al., has revolutionized natural language processing.
It is composed of multiple layers of encoders (for tasks involving only
input, like classification) or encoders and decoders (for sequence-to-
sequence tasks like translation).
Core Components of a Transformer
1. Self-Attention Mechanism:
o Purpose: Allows the model to focus on different parts of the
input sequence to understand the context better.
o How it Works:
 Each token in the input sequence is represented by a
vector (embedding).
 The self-attention mechanism calculates the importance
(attention scores) of each token relative to every other
token in the sequence.
 For a given token, self-attention combines information
from the entire sequence, weighted by these attention
scores.
 This helps the model understand relationships and
dependencies between tokens, regardless of their
positions.
2. Feedforward Neural Networks:
o After self-attention, each token's representation is passed
through a feedforward neural network, which consists of two
linear transformations with a ReLU activation in between. This
allows for complex, non-linear transformations of the data.
3. Layer Normalization and Residual Connections:
o Each sub-layer (self-attention and feedforward) is followed by
layer normalization and residual connections. This helps in
stabilizing the training process and allows for better gradient
flow.
How Layers of Transformers Work
A transformer model typically consists of multiple identical layers (e.g.,
12, 24, or even more). Each layer consists of two main components: the
self-attention mechanism and the feedforward network.
Let's break down the process for one layer and then see how stacking
multiple layers works:

Single Transformer Layer

1. Input Embeddings:
o Tokens are initially converted into embeddings (dense vectors
representing each token).
2. Self-Attention Calculation:
o For each token, calculate three vectors: Query (Q), Key (K),
and Value (V).
o Compute the attention scores using the dot product of Q and
K, scale them, and apply a softmax to obtain the attention
weights.
o Multiply these weights with the Value (V) vectors to get the
attention output.
o This output represents the contextually enriched
representation of each token.
3. Feedforward Network:
o Pass the attention output through a feedforward neural
network for further transformation.
4. Residual Connection and Layer Normalization:
o Add the input to the output (residual connection) and then
apply layer normalization.
Multiple Transformer Layers
When we stack multiple layers, the process becomes:
1. First Layer:
o Takes the token embeddings as input.
o Applies self-attention and feedforward network, outputting a
new set of token representations.
2. Subsequent Layers:
o Each subsequent layer takes the output of the previous layer
as its input.
o Repeats the process of self-attention and feedforward
transformations.
 o The deeper layers refine the token representations, capturing
more complex patterns and dependencies.
Example Illustration
Consider a simple sentence: "The cat sat on the mat."
1. Tokenization and Embedding:
o Tokens: ["The", "cat", "sat", "on", "the", "mat"]
o Embeddings: [e1, e2, e3, e4, e5, e6] (each e is a vector)
2. First Transformer Layer:
o Self-Attention:
 Compute Q, K, V for each token.
 Calculate attention scores and contextually enrich each
token.
o Feedforward Network:
 Apply two linear transformations with ReLU activation.
o Output: [o1, o2, o3, o4, o5, o6]
3. Second Transformer Layer:
o Takes [o1, o2, o3, o4, o5, o6] as input.
o Repeats self-attention and feedforward network processes.
o Output: Refined representations [r1, r2, r3, r4, r5, r6]
Summary
The transformer model processes token vectors through multiple layers of
self-attention and feedforward neural networks. Each layer refines the
representations of tokens by capturing dependencies and relationships
within the sequence. The use of multiple layers allows the model to build
increasingly complex and abstract representations, enabling it to
understand and generate human language effectively. This layered
approach is key to the transformer's ability to handle intricate language
tasks.
 Feedforward Neural Networks
A feedforward neural network (FNN) is a type of artificial neural network
where connections between the nodes do not form a cycle. It is the
simplest form of artificial neural networks and is the building block for
more complex neural network architectures, including those used in
transformers. Here's an explanation of how it works and what it does:
Structure of a Feedforward Neural Network
1. Layers:
o Input Layer: The first layer that receives the input data. Each
node (neuron) in this layer represents a feature in the input
data.
o Hidden Layers: One or more intermediate layers where
computations are performed. Each neuron in a hidden layer
receives input from all neurons in the previous layer.
o Output Layer: The final layer that produces the output of the
network. The number of neurons in this layer corresponds to
the number of desired output values.
2. Neurons:
o Each neuron in a layer is connected to each neuron in the
subsequent layer.
o Each connection has an associated weight, which determines
the strength and direction (positive or negative) of the
influence of the input.
How a Feedforward Neural Network Works
1. Input Data:
o The input data is fed into the input layer. For example, in an
image recognition task, the input might be pixel values of an
image.
2. Weighted Sum:
o Each neuron computes a weighted sum of its inputs. This can
be mathematically represented as: z=∑i=1n(wi⋅xi)+bz = \
sum_{i=1}^{n} (w_i \cdot x_i) + bz=i=1∑n(wi⋅xi)+b Where:
 zzz is the weighted sum.
 xix_ixi are the input values.
 wiw_iwi are the weights.
 bbb is the bias term.
 o

3. Activation Function:
o The weighted sum is passed through an activation function.
The activation function introduces non-linearity into the
model, allowing it to learn complex patterns. Common
activation functions include:
 ReLU (Rectified Linear Unit): f(z)=max⁡(0,z)f(z) = \
max(0, z)f(z)=max(0,z)
 Sigmoid: f(z)=11+e−zf(z) = \frac{1}{1 + e^{-
z}}f(z)=1+e−z1
 Tanh: f(z)=tanh⁡(z)f(z) = \tanh(z)f(z)=tanh(z)
4. Propagation to Next Layer:
o The output of the activation function becomes the input to the
neurons in the next layer. This process is repeated for all
hidden layers.
5. Output Layer:
o Finally, the values from the last hidden layer are fed into the
output layer, producing the final output. In a classification
task, this might be the probabilities of different classes.
 Training a Feedforward Neural Network
Training a feedforward neural network involves adjusting the weights and
biases to minimize the difference between the predicted output and the
actual target values. This is typically done using a process called
backpropagation, combined with an optimization algorithm like gradient
descent.
1. Forward Pass:
o Compute the output of the network for a given input by
propagating the input forward through the network.
2. Loss Calculation:
o Calculate the loss (error) by comparing the network's output
to the actual target values. Common loss functions include
Mean Squared Error (MSE) for regression tasks and Cross-
Entropy Loss for classification tasks.
3. Backward Pass (Backpropagation):
o Compute the gradient of the loss with respect to each weight
and bias by applying the chain rule of calculus backward
through the network. This involves:
 Calculating the gradient of the loss with respect to the
output of the neurons in the output layer.
 Propagating these gradients backward through the
network, layer by layer.
4. Weight Update:
o Adjust the weights and biases using the computed gradients.
The adjustment is typically done using gradient descent:
w=w−η⋅∂L∂ww = w - \eta \cdot \frac{\partial L}{\partial
w}w=w−η⋅∂w∂L Where:
 www is a weight.
 η\etaη is the learning rate.
 ∂L∂w\frac{\partial L}{\partial w}∂w∂L is the gradient of
the loss with respect to the weight.
Example
Let's consider a simple example of a feedforward neural network with one
hidden layer:
1. Input Layer: 3 neurons (for three input features).
2. Hidden Layer: 4 neurons with ReLU activation.
 3. Output Layer: 2 neurons (for two output classes).

Forward Pass:
 Input: [x1,x2,x3][x_1, x_2, x_3][x1,x2,x3]
 Weighted sums in hidden layer: z1,z2,z3,z4z_1, z_2, z_3, z_4z1,z2,z3
,z4
 Activation in hidden layer: [ReLU(z1),ReLU(z2),ReLU(z3),ReLU(z4)]
[ReLU(z_1), ReLU(z_2), ReLU(z_3), ReLU(z_4)][ReLU(z1),ReLU(z2
),ReLU(z3),ReLU(z4)]
 Weighted sums in output layer: z5,z6z_5, z_6z5,z6
 Activation in output layer: [softmax(z5),softmax(z6)][softmax(z_5),
softmax(z_6)][softmax(z5),softmax(z6)] (for a classification task)
Backward Pass:
 Compute the loss: L(ypred,ytrue)L(y_{\text{pred}}, y_{\
text{true}})L(ypred,ytrue)
 Calculate gradients: ∂L∂w\frac{\partial L}{\partial w}∂w∂L
 Update weights: w=w−η⋅∂L∂ww = w - \eta \cdot \frac{\partial L}{\
partial w}w=w−η⋅∂w∂L
Summary
A feedforward neural network is a basic neural network where information
flows in one direction: from the input layer, through hidden layers, to the
output layer. Each neuron computes a weighted sum of its inputs, applies
an activation function, and passes the result to the next layer. Training
involves adjusting weights and biases to minimize the loss using
backpropagation and optimization techniques. This enables the network to
learn and make accurate predictions
 Training for a Particular Style of Response
1. Pre-Training:
o During the initial phase, the model is trained on a large corpus of text data.
This data includes a wide variety of language uses, styles, and topics. The
objective is for the model to learn the underlying structure of language,
including grammar, context, and factual knowledge.
2. Fine-Tuning:
o After the initial pre-training, the model undergoes fine-tuning on more specific
datasets to refine its behavior and responses.
o This fine-tuning process involves training on datasets that exemplify the
desired tone and style. For example, if the goal is to make the model appear
positive, friendly, supportive, and helpful, the training data will include many
examples of conversations and text that embody these qualities.
3. Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF):
o Human reviewers interact with the model and provide feedback on its
responses. This feedback helps in further refining the model’s behavior.
o Reviewers may rate responses on various attributes like helpfulness,
friendliness, and appropriateness. These ratings are used to train the model to
prefer responses that score higher on these metrics.
o The training process might involve multiple iterations where the model
generates responses, receives human feedback, and adjusts its behavior
accordingly.
4. Guidelines and Policies:
o Explicit guidelines and policies are created for the model to follow. These
guidelines can include promoting a positive tone, avoiding negative or harmful
language, and adhering to specific ethical standards.
o These policies are implemented by incorporating specific training examples
and using algorithms to enforce these rules during the generation process.
Post-Processing Stage
 Output Filtering:
o After the model generates a response, additional filtering mechanisms can be
applied to ensure the response aligns with the desired tone and style.
o This filtering can include removing or modifying content that doesn’t meet the
criteria for positivity, friendliness, or appropriateness.
 Censorship and Moderation
1. Training on Moderated Data:
o The model is fine-tuned on datasets that exclude or modify content deemed
inappropriate or sensitive. For example, training data will exclude hate speech,
violent content, or politically sensitive topics.
o Specific instructions are encoded into the training process to avoid certain
topics or types of content.
2. Explicit Instructions and Policies:
o The model is given explicit instructions during training to recognize and avoid
certain types of queries. For instance, requests for illegal activities, harmful
instructions, or sensitive political topics can trigger the model to refuse to
generate a response or to provide a general, non-specific answer.
3. Safety and Ethics Modules:
o Special modules are incorporated to detect and handle potentially harmful or
sensitive queries. These modules can include:
 Keyword and Phrase Detection: Identifying and flagging certain
keywords or phrases that indicate a potentially harmful or sensitive
topic.
 Contextual Analysis: Evaluating the broader context of a query to
understand its implications and to determine if it falls within a
prohibited category.
4. Human Oversight:
o In some cases, human moderators may review flagged content to ensure
compliance with safety and ethical standards. This human oversight adds an
additional layer of scrutiny to the model’s outputs.
Example Scenarios
 Positive and Friendly Responses:
o When the model is asked a general question, it generates a response based on
its training data and feedback loops that emphasize a positive and friendly
tone. For instance, "How can I improve my productivity?" might receive a
response like, "There are several great strategies to boost productivity! Here
are a few tips to get you started..."
 Censorship of Sensitive Topics:
o If a user asks for instructions on illegal activities, the model might be trained
to recognize such queries and respond with a refusal: "I'm sorry, but I can't
assist with that request."
 o Similarly, queries about politically sensitive topics might receive a neutral or
general response to avoid controversy: "Political issues are complex and
multifaceted, involving many different perspectives."
Summary
The style and tone of responses from a GPT model are achieved through a combination of
pre-training on diverse data, fine-tuning on specific datasets, reinforcement learning from
human feedback, and applying explicit guidelines and policies. Censorship and moderation
are handled through training on moderated data, explicit instructions, safety and ethics
modules, and human oversight. These processes ensure that the model generates appropriate,
positive, and helpful responses while avoiding harmful or sensitive content.

Peter Fields
15 June 2025