Analyst Talk - Dr. Andrew Wheeler - Large Language Models for Mortals

Episode: 00312 Released on March 30, 2026 Description:  In this episode of Analyst Talk, Jason Elder welcomes back Dr. Andrew Wheeler, who recently authored the book Large Language Models for Mortals, to explore how large language models are transforming the work of analysts. Moving beyond chatbots, Andrew breaks down practical applications such as extracting insights from reports, automating workflows, and integrating AI with tools like SQL and Excel. He explains key concepts like APIs and retrieval augmented generation in a way analysts can understand, while also addressing risks like hallucinations and reliability issues. This conversation focuses on what analysts can realistically build today, what skills matter most, and how AI will reshape the profession without replacing the need for human judgment. 🎧 Listen, share, and keep talking! [Note:  Description produced by ChatGPT.] Name Drops: Public Service Announcements: Dr. Eliann Carr on the Crime Analyst Census Survey Link to survey:  https://form.jotform.com/251745683433058 Related Links: Large Language Models for Mortals: A Practical Guide for Analysts with Python, https://crimede-coder.com/blogposts/2026/LLMsForMortals Promo Code:  LEAPLLM for $20 off LLM paperback and epub Previous Analyst Talk Podcast:  https://www.leapodcasts.com/e/atwje-dr-andrew-wheeler-crime-de-coder/ Analyst Talk AI Series:  https://www.leapodcasts.com/?s=AI Association(s) Mentioned: Vendor(s) Mentioned: Contact: [email protected], https://www.linkedin.com/company/crime-de-coder/ Transcript:  https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/xnj5k9n9u4553axk/CruzLLMs_transcripts.pdf Podcast Writer: Podcast Researcher: Theme Song: Written and Recorded by The Rough & Tumble. Find more of their music at www.theroughandtumble.com. Logo: Designed by Kyle McMullen. Please visit www.moderntype.com for any printable business forms and planners. Podcast Email: [email protected]  Podcast Webpage: www.leapodcasts.com  Podcast X: @leapodcasts 00:00:17 Introducing Andrew 00:01:00 Why Andrew wrote LLMs for Mortals 00:06:00 What LLM APIs actually are 00:10:00 Practical use cases for analysts 00:20:00 What is RAG and why it matters 00:30:00 Hallucinations and reliability risks 00:39:00 Will AI replace analysts?