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📖 32 words, explained like a friend wouldEvery AI word you keep hearing, in one sentence, with an everyday comparison and a real example. No tech background needed.
What it means: Computer programs that can do things that used to need a person, like writing, answering questions or recognizing a photo.
Think of it like: Like a very well-read helper who has never actually lived in the real world.
Example: You type “Write a birthday note for my sister” and AI writes one in seconds.
See also: Chat / chatbot · LLM (large language model)
What it means: A chat is a conversation you type (or say) to an AI, and a chatbot is the AI that answers you back.
Think of it like: Like texting a helpful friend who answers instantly, any time of day.
Example: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok are all chatbots: you type a message, they reply.
See also: Prompt · AI (artificial intelligence)
What it means: The message or question you give the AI.
Think of it like: Like the order you give at a restaurant: the clearer the order, the better the meal.
Example: “Plan 5 cheap dinners for 2 people, no fish, under 30 minutes each” is a good prompt.
See also: Chat / chatbot · Custom instructions · Our guide →
What it means: The “brain” inside most chatbots: a program that learned from a huge amount of writing and now predicts which words should come next.
Think of it like: Like phone autocomplete, but trained on so much text that it can write whole letters and answer questions.
Example: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok are all powered by LLMs.
What it means: Short for “generative pre-trained transformer,” the name of OpenAI’s family of AI models; “generative” means it creates new text.
Think of it like: Like an engine name: GPT is the engine, ChatGPT is the car you actually drive.
Example: When people say “GPT-5” they mean a version of OpenAI’s model, not the app.
See also: ChatGPT · LLM (large language model)
What it means: One specific version of an AI brain; companies release new models that are smarter, faster or cheaper.
Think of it like: Like phone generations: same brand, newer model, better features.
Example: Many apps let you pick a model from a menu at the top of the chat.
See also: LLM (large language model) · Training
What it means: How an AI model learns: it studies huge amounts of text, images or other examples until it spots patterns.
Think of it like: Like a student reading millions of books, but never leaving the library.
Example: Because training stops at a certain date, some models don’t know recent news unless they can search the web.
See also: Model · Hallucination
What it means: An AI that can handle more than words: photos, voice, files or video too.
Think of it like: Like a helper who can read, look and listen, not just read.
Example: Snap a photo of a confusing bill and ask, “What does this charge mean?”
See also: Voice mode · Image generation · Our guide →
What it means: OpenAI’s chatbot app, on the web and on phones, with a free plan and paid plans.
Think of it like: The best-known chatbot, like how “Google” became the word for searching.
Example: Open chatgpt.com or the ChatGPT app, type a question, and it answers.
See also: GPT · Projects · Memory · Official help →
What it means: Anthropic’s chatbot, known for careful, clear writing and for reading long documents.
Think of it like: Like a thoughtful librarian who reads the whole file before answering.
Example: Upload a long lease and ask Claude to list every fee in plain words.
See also: Projects · LLM (large language model) · Official help →
What it means: Google’s AI assistant and model, built into many Google products and Android phones.
Think of it like: Like Google Search learning to hold a conversation.
Example: Ask Gemini to summarize a long email thread in Gmail.
See also: LLM (large language model) · Multimodal · Official help →
What it means: xAI’s chatbot, available in the X app (formerly Twitter) and its own Grok app and website.
Think of it like: Like a chatbot that grew up reading the news feed.
Example: Ask Grok what people are saying about a news story on X today.
See also: Grok Bot · LLM (large language model) · Official help →
What it means: An AI helper from Grok that works on its own cloud computer: it can browse, make files and run jobs on a schedule, and you can make it ask before risky steps.
Think of it like: Less like a chat, more like a virtual assistant with its own desk.
Example: Ask Grok Bot to check a website every morning and tell you when a price changes.
See also: Agent / bot · Automation / routine · Our guide →
What it means: Microsoft’s AI assistant, found in Windows, the Edge browser and Microsoft 365 apps like Word and Outlook.
Think of it like: Like a helper sitting inside the Microsoft programs you already use.
Example: In Word, ask Copilot to turn your rough notes into a one-page letter.
See also: Chat / chatbot · LLM (large language model) · Official help →
What it means: Meta’s AI assistant, built into WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger.
Think of it like: Like a helper hiding inside the apps you already use to chat with family.
Example: In WhatsApp, ask Meta AI for a quick recipe idea without leaving the app.
See also: Chat / chatbot · Privacy and your data · Official help →
What it means: An AI model whose files are shared publicly, so anyone with the right computer can download and run it.
Think of it like: Like a recipe published for free, instead of a dish you can only order at one restaurant.
Example: Some companies run open models on their own computers to keep data in-house.
What it means: A small chunk of text, often part of a word, that AI reads and writes in; limits are often counted in tokens.
Think of it like: Like counting LEGO bricks instead of whole buildings.
Example: “Unbelievable” might be split into 3 tokens: “un,” “believ,” “able.”
See also: Context window · API
What it means: How much text the AI can keep in mind at once in one conversation.
Think of it like: Like the size of a desk: a bigger desk holds more papers in view at the same time.
Example: In a very long chat, the AI may “forget” what you said at the start because it fell off the desk.
What it means: When AI says something false but sounds completely sure of it.
Think of it like: Like a confident friend who fills in gaps from memory and gets it wrong.
Example: AI invents a book title or a court case that doesn’t exist. Always check names, numbers and sources.
See also: Training · AI scams · Our guide →
What it means: A saved note about you and how you like answers, so you don’t repeat it in every chat.
Think of it like: Like telling a new barber once, “short on the sides, always,” and they remember.
Example: “I’m 72, explain things simply, use big steps and no jargon.”
See also: Memory · Prompt · Our guide →
What it means: A setting that lets the AI remember useful details about you across different chats, which you can view and delete.
Think of it like: Like a notebook your helper keeps about you, that you’re allowed to read and erase.
Example: You mention you’re vegetarian once, and later meal ideas skip meat.
See also: Custom instructions · Privacy and your data · Our guide →
What it means: Folders in ChatGPT or Claude that keep chats, files and instructions for one job together.
Think of it like: Like a binder for one topic: everything about your garden in one place.
Example: A “Grant writing” Project holds your nonprofit’s mission and budget so every chat starts informed.
See also: Memory · Custom instructions · Our guide →
What it means: An AI that doesn’t just answer, it takes steps for you, like browsing, filling forms or drafting messages, ideally with your approval.
Think of it like: A chatbot gives directions; an agent drives the car (and should ask before turning).
Example: An agent checks 5 store websites and makes you a price list.
See also: Automation / routine · Grok Bot · Our guide →
What it means: A job the AI does on its own on a schedule or when something happens, without you starting it each time.
Think of it like: Like a coffee maker on a timer.
Example: “Every Monday at 8 a.m., send me a summary of this week’s weather and my to-dos.”
See also: Agent / bot · Scheduled tasks · Our guide →
What it means: ChatGPT’s name for routines: reminders or briefings it sends you at a set time.
Think of it like: Like an alarm clock that also tells you something useful.
Example: “Every weekday at 7 a.m., give me 3 headlines about my town.”
See also: Automation / routine · Our guide →
What it means: Talking to the AI out loud and hearing it answer, instead of typing.
Think of it like: Like a phone call with a very patient helper.
Example: Ask out loud while cooking: “How do I swap eggs in this recipe?”
See also: Multimodal · Our guide →
What it means: AI making a brand-new picture from your description.
Think of it like: Like describing a scene to an artist who paints it in seconds.
Example: “A cozy picture of a bake sale table with pies” for your club newsletter.
See also: Multimodal · Deepfake
What it means: A way for one computer program to talk to another; companies use an AI’s API to build it into their own apps.
Think of it like: Like a restaurant’s takeout window: other businesses order from the same kitchen.
Example: A store’s website chat may run on an AI company’s API behind the scenes. Most people never need one.
See also: Token · Open-source (open) model
What it means: What happens to what you type: some apps may save chats or use them to improve their AI unless you change settings.
Think of it like: Like talking in a coffee shop: assume someone could overhear.
Example: Never paste passwords, card numbers, Social Security numbers or medical record numbers into a chat.
See also: Memory · AI scams · Our guide →
What it means: A fake photo, video or voice made with AI to look or sound like a real person.
Think of it like: Like a very convincing mask, made by a computer.
Example: A video of a celebrity “endorsing” a crypto app they never mentioned.
See also: AI scams · Image generation · Official help →
What it means: Tricks that use AI, like cloned voices of family members, fake videos or perfect-looking scam emails, to get money or information.
Think of it like: Old scams wearing a new, more convincing costume.
Example: A call that sounds like your grandson asking for bail money. Hang up and call him back on his known number.
See also: Deepfake · Privacy and your data · Official help →
What it means: AI is a first draft, not the final word, especially for health, money, legal and emergency questions.
Think of it like: Like a GPS: helpful, but you still look at the road.
Example: Ask AI to explain your lab results in plain words, then bring those questions to your doctor.
See also: Hallucination
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Join Bot ClubMost AI chat apps predict helpful words based on patterns learned from huge amounts of writing. That’s why they’re great at drafting and explaining, and why they can sound sure while being wrong.
GPT is OpenAI’s family of AI models (the engine). ChatGPT is the app you chat with (the car).
For everyday tasks, yes, if you don’t paste private details like passwords or account numbers and you double-check health, money and legal answers.