In this episode of Beyond Words, Garrett Oyama, MS, CCC-SLP, chats with Dr. Idan Blank, PhD, professor at UCLA, about what cutting-edge computational models can reveal about the human brain.
Dr. Blank specializes in using “foundation models” to uncover how language is represented and processed in the mind, bridging the gap between computer science and cognitive neuroscience. Together, they explore how these models help researchers test ideas about linguistic structure and meaning, not to build technology, but to build understanding.
You’ll also hear Dr. Blank’s take on the rise of large language models (LLMs), how psycholinguists are making sense of them, what they can actually tell us about human cognition, and why thoughtful skepticism matters.
Dr. Blank specializes in using “foundation models” to uncover how language is represented and processed in the mind, bridging the gap between computer science and cognitive neuroscience. Together, they explore how these models help researchers test ideas about linguistic structure and meaning, not to build technology, but to build understanding.
You’ll also hear Dr. Blank’s take on the rise of large language models (LLMs), how psycholinguists are making sense of them, what they can actually tell us about human cognition, and why thoughtful skepticism matters.
