AI Questions & Answers Logo
AI Questions & Answers Part of the Q&A Network
Real Questions. Clear Answers.
Ask any question about AI here... and get an instant response.
Q&A Balloon Q&A Logo
Post this Question & Answer:

Temperature vs. top_p in LLMs—how do they differ and what are sane defaults?

Asked on Sep 27, 2025

Answer

Temperature and top_p are two parameters used in language models to control the randomness and creativity of the generated text. They differ in how they influence the selection of the next word in a sequence.

Example Concept: Temperature is a parameter that scales the logits (raw predictions) before applying the softmax function, affecting the randomness of the output. A higher temperature results in more randomness, while a lower temperature makes the output more deterministic. Top_p, or nucleus sampling, selects from the smallest possible set of words whose cumulative probability exceeds the threshold p, ensuring that only the most likely words are considered, which can lead to more coherent outputs.

Additional Comment:
  • Temperature values typically range from 0 to 1, where 0.7 is a common default for balanced creativity and coherence.
  • Top_p values also range from 0 to 1, with 0.9 often used as a default to allow for diversity while maintaining coherence.
  • Using both parameters together can fine-tune the balance between randomness and determinism in text generation.
  • Experimentation is key to finding the right settings for specific applications or desired output styles.
✅ Answered with AI best practices.

← Back to All Questions

Q&A Network
Real Questions. Clear Answers.
AI
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI!
AI Education
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Education!
Data Science
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Data Science!
Creative Writing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Creative Writing!
Graphic Design
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Graphic Design!
Illustration
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Illustration!
UI/UX Design
Ask Questions / Get Answers about UI/UX Design!
Social Media Psychology
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Social Media Psychology!
AI Business
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Business!
AI Coding
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Coding!
Web Languages
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Web Languages!
Monetization
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Ad & Monetization!
Digital Burnout
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Digital Burnout!
Video Editing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Video Editing!
WordPress
Ask Questions / Get Answers about WordPress!
AI Design
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Design!
AI Audio
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Audio!
Photography
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Photography!
Podcasting
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Podcasting!
SEO
Ask Questions / Get Answers about SEO!
3D Design
Ask Questions / Get Answers about 3D Design!
AI Marketing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Marketing!
MobileDev
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Mobile Developement!
DevOps
Ask Questions / Get Answers about DevOps!
Security
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Website Security!
Film Production
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Film Production!
Motion Graphics
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Motion Graphics!
AI Images
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Images!
Networking
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Networking!
Web Hosting
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Hosting!
Analytics
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Analytics!
Tailwind
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Tailwind!
AI Video
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Video!
IoT
Ask Questions / Get Answers about IoT!
Chatbots
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Chatbots!
Web Development
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Web Development!
AI Writing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Writing!
Sound Design
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Sound Design!
Bootstrap
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Bootstrap!
VR & AR
Ask Questions / Get Answers about VR & AR!
Cloud Computing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Cloud Computing!
Quantum
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Quantum Computing!
Animation
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Animation!
Robotics
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Robotics!
JavaScript
Ask Questions / Get Answers about JavaScript!
Cybersecurity
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Cybersecurity!
CSS
Ask Questions / Get Answers about CSS!
Performance
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Web Vitals!
AI Ethics
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Ethics!
HTML
Ask Questions / Get Answers about HTML!