Published
Sep 23, 2024
Updated
Sep 23, 2024

Why Using LLMs for Relevance is a Bad Idea

Don't Use LLMs to Make Relevance Judgments
By
Ian Soboroff

Summary

Imagine a world where machines judge what's relevant for us. Tempting, right? A recent research paper argues against using Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to determine relevance, especially for evaluating search systems. The core issue? LLMs, when used this way, create a relevance ceiling. They become the ultimate judges, making it impossible to measure any system that might surpass their capabilities. If a new, potentially better search engine finds something the LLM deemed irrelevant, it gets penalized. This creates a paradox where advancements are punished rather than rewarded. Moreover, using an LLM for both relevance judgment and as a component of the search system itself creates a feedback loop, essentially trapping progress within the LLM's limitations. The better systems become at retrieving information that the LLM didn't deem relevant, the "worse" they appear. The future of search should be about systems that go above and beyond current capabilities, and using LLMs to make relevance judgments directly hinders this progress. The paper does offer a glimmer of hope: LLMs could be used to assist human assessors, not replace them, by acting as sophisticated quality control checkers to catch human error. They could potentially even automate parts of user studies, helping make experiments larger and more insightful. The key takeaway? LLMs have tremendous potential in search, but using them to define relevance stifles innovation and traps progress within their own limitations. Let's explore how they can support, not replace, the complex task of relevance assessment in the future.
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Question & Answers

How does the feedback loop problem occur when using LLMs for relevance judgments in search systems?
The feedback loop occurs when an LLM is used both for relevance judgment and as a component of the search system. Technically, this creates a circular dependency where the system's performance is evaluated against its own limitations. For example, if a search engine discovers a highly relevant document that the LLM didn't recognize as relevant (due to its training limitations), the system would be penalized despite potentially making a better recommendation. This can manifest in practical scenarios where innovative search algorithms that find novel connections or unconventional but valuable results are scored poorly simply because they exceed the LLM's understanding of relevance.
What are the main advantages of human assessors over AI in evaluating search results?
Human assessors bring crucial advantages to search result evaluation through their ability to understand context, nuance, and real-world applicability. They can recognize valuable information even when it doesn't follow conventional patterns or expectations. For instance, humans can appreciate innovative solutions or unexpected connections that might be missed by AI systems. This human element is particularly valuable in fields like medical research or creative industries, where breakthrough insights often come from unconventional sources. Additionally, human assessors can adapt their judgment criteria based on evolving user needs and cultural changes, ensuring search systems remain truly useful rather than just technically accurate.
How can LLMs be effectively used to support search evaluation without limiting innovation?
LLMs can be valuable tools for search evaluation when used as assistants rather than primary judges. They excel at supporting roles such as quality control for human assessments, identifying potential inconsistencies, or helping to scale user studies. For example, an LLM could help prepare evaluation materials, flag unusual patterns in human assessments for review, or generate preliminary relevance suggestions for human validators to consider. This approach leverages LLMs' strengths in processing and pattern recognition while avoiding the innovation-limiting effects of using them as final arbiters of relevance.

PromptLayer Features

  1. Testing & Evaluation
  2. The paper's emphasis on avoiding LLM-only relevance judgments aligns with the need for robust human-in-the-loop testing frameworks
Implementation Details
Set up A/B testing pipelines comparing human vs LLM assessments, with human judgments as ground truth
Key Benefits
• Prevents relevance judgment bias from pure LLM evaluations • Enables detection of cases where LLMs miss novel relevant results • Maintains human oversight while leveraging LLM assistance
Potential Improvements
• Add specialized metrics for human-LLM agreement scoring • Implement automated flags for divergent judgments • Create hybrid evaluation workflows combining both sources
Business Value
Efficiency Gains
Reduces manual review time while maintaining quality through selective human validation
Cost Savings
Optimizes use of human reviewers by focusing them on edge cases and disagreements
Quality Improvement
Prevents artificial performance ceilings by maintaining human judgment as primary benchmark
  1. Workflow Management
  2. Paper suggests using LLMs as assistants rather than replacements, requiring carefully orchestrated hybrid workflows
Implementation Details
Create templated workflows that combine LLM preprocessing with human review stages
Key Benefits
• Maintains clear separation between LLM assistance and final human judgment • Enables systematic tracking of assessment processes • Supports reproducible evaluation procedures
Potential Improvements
• Add workflow branches for handling edge cases • Implement version control for assessment criteria • Create feedback loops for continuous workflow refinement
Business Value
Efficiency Gains
Streamlines evaluation process while preserving human oversight
Cost Savings
Reduces time spent on routine assessments while focusing human effort where needed
Quality Improvement
Ensures consistent evaluation procedures while avoiding LLM-only limitations

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