The Jargon Dictionary
AI terms explained in plain English - no tech degree required!
A
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Computer programs that can think and learn like humans. Think of it as a very smart assistant that can help you with tasks like writing, creating images, or answering questions.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A way for different computer programs to talk to each other. You don't need to worry about this - it's the behind-the-scenes stuff that makes apps work together.
C
Chatbot
An AI that you can have a conversation with by typing messages. Examples include ChatGPT and Claude. It's like texting with a very knowledgeable friend!
Context
The information you give an AI so it understands what you need. The more context you provide, the better the AI can help you.
G
Generative AI
AI that can create new things - like writing text, making images, or composing music. It generates (creates) content based on what you ask for.
GPT
Stands for "Generative Pre-trained Transformer" - but don't worry about the technical name! It's the technology behind ChatGPT that helps it understand and generate human-like text.
L
LLM (Large Language Model)
A type of AI that's really good at understanding and generating human language. ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are all LLMs. Think of them as super-powered writing assistants.
M
Machine Learning
How AI learns from examples. Instead of being programmed with specific rules, it looks at lots of examples and figures out patterns on its own.
Model
The "brain" of an AI. When people talk about different models (like GPT-4 or Claude 3), they're talking about different versions of AI with different capabilities.
P
Prompt
The instructions or question you type to tell an AI what you want. A good prompt is clear and specific - like giving good directions to a helpful friend.
Prompt Engineering
The art of writing really good prompts to get better results from AI. Don't let the fancy name scare you - it's just about learning what works best!
T
Token
How AI counts words. One token is roughly 3/4 of a word. AI tools often have limits on how many tokens you can use. Just think of it as a word count.
Training Data
The information an AI learned from. This is the "textbook" the AI studied before it could help you.
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