# How we think about text classification in the LLM era

DevFeed: [How we think about text classification in the LLM era](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-we-think-about-text-classification-in-the-llm-era-20322.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://medium.engineering/how-we-think-about-text-classification-in-the-llm-era-89a185f79b68?source=rss----2817475205d3---4>)

Author: Raphael Montaud

Published: 2026-08-19T20:00:37Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Medium](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/medium.md>)

Topics: [Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/machine-learning-artificial-intelligence.md>), [Model Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/model-development.md>), [LLM Techniques](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/llm-techniques.md>), [Artificial Intelligence](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai.md>), [AI Inference](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-inference.md>)

Tags: [ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai.md>), [classification](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/classification.md>), [inference](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/inference.md>), [llm](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/llm.md>), [llms](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/llms.md>), [machine-learning](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/machine-learning.md>), [model](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/model.md>), [models](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/models.md>), [recommendation-system](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/recommendation-system.md>), [text-classification](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/text-classification.md>)

## AI overview

Medium explains how it is evaluating LLM-based text classification for updating its aging NSFW model while retaining task-specific machine-learning models. The article states that Snowflake LLM tools were used for inference only and that Medium's user data was not used to train the models.

## Source excerpt

Why we think LLMs can be useful and why we will not replace all of our models with themContext At Medium, we have many Machine Learning models that we use to label stories automatically. These affect what stories we recommend to readers. Here's some examples: a few of our text classification models. All diagrams and charts made by the authorSome Clarifications on our Machine Learning policy Before we go deep on this project, I just wanted to clarify a few things about how we stand regarding AI in general. Medium has been training internal models with user and post data for a long time now. We train models with specific tasks. For example, models that power our recommendations algorithm, or text classification models like the ones presented in this story. All in the goal to improve our product. With the LLM approach I describe in this story, we ARE NOT sharing these models with other companies. And we ARE NOT allowing anyone to train on our users' data and content. Here we used Snowflake LLM tools for inference only (no LLM training was done here) and they are actually hosting all of the models inside their own infrastructure and guarantee that they are not using any of this for training. Shoutout to the Snowflake team for making it so easy and safe to use LLMs on our data! If you want to read more about Medium's stance on AI, I definitely recommend giving these a read: Default No to AI Training on Your Stories Finally, an internet standard for writers' rights vs. AI companies We want your feedback: How can writers use AI to tell human stories? Problem During our roadmap planning we decided that our NSFW model was out of date and it was time to revamp it. This model labels stories as "Not Safe for Work" if they have sexually explicit content, lots of profanity, or basically anything you wouldn't want to read on your big monitor in the middle of an open space! As you can imagine it's a pretty important model. We really need it to make sure our most "interesting" conte