Large Language Model Supply Chain: A Research Agenda

The rapid advancements in pre-trained LLMs and Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) have ushered in a new era of intelligent applications, transforming fields ranging from natural language processing to content generation. The LLM supply chain represents a crucial aspect of the contemporary artificial intelligence landscape. It encompasses the entire lifecycle of pre-trained models, from its initial development and training to its final deployment and application in various domains. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the LLM supply chain, highlighting its three core elements: 1) the model infrastructure, encompassing datasets and toolchain for training, optimization, and deployment; 2) the model lifecycle, covering training, testing, releasing, and ongoing maintenance; and 3) the downstream application ecosystem, enabling the integration of pre-trained models into a wide range of intelligent applications. However, this rapidly evolving field faces numerous challenges across these key components, including data privacy and security, model interpretability and fairness, infrastructure scalability, and regulatory compliance. Addressing these challenges is essential for harnessing the full potential of LLMs and ensuring their ethical and responsible use. This paper provides a future research agenda for the LLM supply chain, aiming at driving the continued advancement and responsible deployment of these transformative LLMs.