How many repeated LLM queries are enough? Testing a pilot-based reliability protocol [R]

Explain Like I'm Normal

A new research paper introduces a protocol based on generalizability theory to determine exactly how many times you need to run a prompt to get a statistically reliable result. The study proves that fixed iteration counts are unreliable across different models and tasks, offering a pilot-based method to calculate the minimum sample size for stable output. This provides a rigorous framework for developers who currently rely on 'vibes' or arbitrary repeat counts to audit model performance.