Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Generative AI

Definition

Generative AI is a class of artificial intelligence models that can generate new, original content, such as text, images, music, or code, based on the data they were trained on.

Why It Matters

Generative AI is a paradigm shift from discriminative AI (which classifies or predicts) to creative AI. It unlocks new possibilities for content creation, creative assistance, and problem-solving.

Contextual Example

DALL-E is a generative AI model that can create original images from a text description (e.g., "An astronaut riding a horse in a photorealistic style"). ChatGPT is a generative AI model that creates text.

Common Misunderstandings

  • Generative AI does not create from nothing; it synthesizes and recombines patterns learned from its vast training data.
  • Large Language Models (LLMs) are a key type of generative AI.

Related Terms

Last Updated: December 17, 2025