Why I Write This Book

In the spirit of mathematics and computer science, I believe it's fitting to begin with Chapter 0.

I'm writing this book because the field of language AI moves so rapidly that knowledge becomes stale almost as quickly as it's acquired. Too many topics that I once understood have slipped from memory, while countless others remain tantalizingly out of reach—either buried in academic papers or scattered across technical blogs without the coherent narrative they deserve.

This book is my personal reference manual—a structured repository where I can capture both fundamental concepts and cutting-edge developments before they fade from my working memory. By writing everything down systematically, I'm creating a resource I can return to whenever I need to refresh my understanding or build upon previous knowledge.

Whether you're a curious beginner, a seasoned developer, or somewhere in between, I hope this book becomes a trusted companion in your journey through the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and language models.