As I embark on my PhD journey, I’m faced with a dilemma that many researchers might relate to. My supervisor wants me to focus on social bias in LLMs, but my heart belongs to SLMs. I’m drawn to SLMs because of their reduced compute requirements and impressive performance in constrained scenarios. But this got me thinking – what’s more in demand in the research community and industry: foundational research or applied research?
I feel like social bias is an application-oriented approach, whereas SLMs are more foundational. But which one is more sought after? Should I stick with what interests me or follow the demand? It’s a tough call, especially at the beginning of my PhD.
In academia, foundational research can lead to breakthroughs and a deeper understanding of the subject matter. On the other hand, applied research can have immediate practical implications and attract more funding. In the industry, companies often prioritize applied research that can be monetized quickly.
But what about the researchers themselves? Do they prefer to work on foundational or applied projects? I’d love to hear from others in the field – what’s your take on this?
Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal interest, career goals, and the impact I want to make. But it’s essential to consider the demand and relevance of the research in both academia and industry.