Do llms only improve with new model releases

Are major LLMs like GPT and Claude continuously improving or is it only when they release new models

Major Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT and Claude generally improve through two main mechanisms:

  1. New Model Releases: Significant improvements in LLMs typically occur when new versions or models are released. These updates often introduce enhanced capabilities, such as better reasoning, faster processing, and more efficient use of resources. For instance, OpenAI's GPT-4o models and Anthropic's Claude 3.5 family demonstrate this pattern. Each new release, like GPT-4o-2024-08-06 or Claude 3.5 Sonnet, brings substantial advancements over its predecessors, including improved performance on benchmarks, reduced costs, and new features such as structured outputs or enhanced tool use[1][2].
  2. Fine-Tuning and Incremental Updates: In addition to major version releases, LLMs can also be fine-tuned between these releases to improve performance on specific tasks. For example, OpenAI’s fine-tuned models like ft:gpt-4o-2024-05-13 have shown marked improvements in certain benchmarks[1]. Similarly, Anthropic has been continuously refining models within the Claude 3.5 family, offering incremental improvements in coding tasks and tool use with each update[3][5].

Thus, while major improvements are typically associated with the release of new model versions, LLMs can also see incremental enhancements through fine-tuning and other updates between these larger releases.

Citations:\ [1] OpenAI's GPT-4o-2024-08-06 - LLM Radar https://blog.llmradar.ai/openai-ft-gpt-4o-2024-05-13/\ [2] Introducing Claude 3.5 Sonnet - Anthropic https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-3-5-sonnet\ [3] Announcing three new capabilities for the Claude 3.5 model family ... https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/upgraded-claude-3-5-sonnet-from-anthropic-available-now-computer-use-public-beta-and-claude-3-5-haiku-coming-soon-in-amazon-bedrock/\ [4] Introducing computer use, a new Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and ... - Anthropic https://www.anthropic.com/news/3-5-models-and-computer-use\ [5] Anthropic announce significant AI upgrades to Claude 3.5 Sonnet ... https://spike.digital/2024/10/24/anthropic-announce-significant-ai-upgrades-to-claude-3-5-sonnet-and-a-new-model-claude-3-5-haiku/