Generative AI: guide for parents and carers

Prompt

This refers to the user’s input or question that guides the AI in generating content. Prompts can be as simple as a single word or as complex as a detailed scenario.

Model

This refers to the AI tool’s underlying system, trained on large datasets to understand language, images and other forms of data. Models like GPT (used by ChatGPT) are examples of large language models that generate text based on patterns in the data they were trained on.

Large language model

A ‘large language model’ (‘LLM’) is an algorithm that is trained on large amounts of data. An LLM writes sentences based on predicting which words would typically go together when expressing an idea.

Neural network

This refers to a type of machine learning model that mimics the human brain, used to generate content by recognising patterns in data. Neural networks are crucial to the operation of gen AI.

Training data

This refers to data used to train AI models, including text, images and other forms of digital content. The quality and range of training data significantly impacts on the AI tool’s ability to generate accurate and relevant content.

GPT

‘GPT’ is short for ‘generative pre-trained transformer’ and refers to the ability of the tool to form a response or answer to a user. This can be thought of as the ‘brain’ of an AI tool.