Inference-time steering in language model applications

A system comprising:

• one or more processors to:
• process, using a neuron layer of a model, an input to generate an activation of the neuron layer;
• determine that the activation corresponds to a non-compliant content region in a reduced-dimensionality latent space;
• modify, using a steering vector, the activation;
• generate an output of the model based at least on the modified activation being processed using a second, subsequent neuron layer of the model;
• and
• cause presentation of the output.

A processing device comprising processing circuitry to:

• process, using one or more layers of a machine learning model, an input to generate one or more activations;
• determine that at least one activation of the one or more activations corresponds to a non-compliant content region in a reduced-dimensionality latent space;
• modify, using a steering vector, the at least one activation;
• generate a response to the input based at least on one or more second layers of the machine learning model processing the at least one modified activation;
• and
• at least one of:
• send data corresponding to the response to one or more devices for presentation;
• or
• cause presentation of the response.