Text to SQL with NSQL from Numbers Station

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Introduction

Today marks an exciting development in the world of large language models with the launch of a groundbreaking model that tackles one of the most important problems inside enterprises - converting text to SQL. This new model, named NSQL, is set to revolutionize how we interact with databases, helping us unlock the valuable information stored within.

Text to SQL conversion is immensely valuable for enterprises. It allows users to query databases using natural language, making data retrieval more accessible to non-technical stakeholders. Imagine asking, "How many widgets did I sell in Springfield?" or "How many of our customers used coupons last week?" All that information is typically stored in databases, and SQL is the language used to pool and extract that data.

NSQL starts with an existing open-source model but takes it a step further through pre-training and instruction tuning. The enhancement involves a massive collection of approximately 300,000 examples, specifically curated to demonstrate how to use SQL in various contexts.

Now, enterprises have a robust text-to-SQL model. The fact that NSQL is open-source and built with accessible components means that the community can contribute to its improvement. This collaborative effort will likely result in an even better model over time.

Keywords

• Large Language Model
• Text to SQL
• Enterprises
• Databases
• SQL
• Open Source
• Instruction Tuning
• Data Retrieval

FAQ

What is NSQL?
NSQL is a newly released large language model designed to convert natural language text to SQL queries.

Why is text to SQL conversion important?
Text to SQL conversion is crucial as it democratizes access to database information, enabling even non-technical users to retrieve data using simple natural language queries.

How does NSQL improve upon existing models?
NSQL enhances an open-source model through additional pre-training and instruction tuning, using a large dataset of around 300,000 examples demonstrating various SQL usages.

Is NSQL available for community contributions?
Yes, NSQL is open source, allowing the community to contribute and enhance the model further.

What kinds of queries can NSQL handle?
NSQL can handle a wide range of queries, from simple data retrieval to more complex aggregations, making it versatile for various enterprise needs.