Pre-trained large language models (LLMs) can effectively model data generated by Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) via in-context learning.
LLMs achieve predictive accuracy approaching the theoretical optimum on a diverse set of synthetic HMMs.
Novel scaling trends influenced by HMM properties were uncovered, along with practical guidelines for using in-context learning as a diagnostic tool for complex data.
In real-world animal decision-making tasks, in-context learning achieves competitive performance with models designed by human experts, showcasing its potential as a powerful tool for uncovering hidden structure in complex scientific data.