The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models
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The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models

Michael Brenndoerfer•November 2, 2025•14 min read•3,248 words•Interactive

A comprehensive guide to EleutherAI's The Pile, the groundbreaking 825GB open-source dataset that democratized access to high-quality training data for large language models. Learn about dataset composition, curation, and its impact on open-source AI development.

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Reference

BIBTEXAcademic
@misc{thepileopensourcetrainingdatasetforlargelanguagemodels, author = {Michael Brenndoerfer}, title = {The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models}, year = {2025}, url = {https://mbrenndoerfer.com/writing/the-pile-open-source-training-dataset-large-language-models}, organization = {mbrenndoerfer.com}, note = {Accessed: 2025-11-02} }
APAAcademic
Michael Brenndoerfer (2025). The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models. Retrieved from https://mbrenndoerfer.com/writing/the-pile-open-source-training-dataset-large-language-models
MLAAcademic
Michael Brenndoerfer. "The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models." 2025. Web. 11/2/2025. <https://mbrenndoerfer.com/writing/the-pile-open-source-training-dataset-large-language-models>.
CHICAGOAcademic
Michael Brenndoerfer. "The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models." Accessed 11/2/2025. https://mbrenndoerfer.com/writing/the-pile-open-source-training-dataset-large-language-models.
HARVARDAcademic
Michael Brenndoerfer (2025) 'The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models'. Available at: https://mbrenndoerfer.com/writing/the-pile-open-source-training-dataset-large-language-models (Accessed: 11/2/2025).
SimpleBasic
Michael Brenndoerfer (2025). The Pile: Open-Source Training Dataset for Large Language Models. https://mbrenndoerfer.com/writing/the-pile-open-source-training-dataset-large-language-models
Michael Brenndoerfer

About the author: Michael Brenndoerfer

All opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer.

Michael currently works as an Associate Director of Data Science at EQT Partners in Singapore, where he drives AI and data initiatives across private capital investments.

With over a decade of experience spanning private equity, management consulting, and software engineering, he specializes in building and scaling analytics capabilities from the ground up. He has published research in leading AI conferences and holds expertise in machine learning, natural language processing, and value creation through data.

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