2.1 What is generative AI?

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence designed to create new content, such as text, images, audio, video, or even code, based on patterns it has learned from existing data. Unlike traditional AI, which typically focuses on recognizing patterns or analyzing data, generative AI produces entirely new outputs. It does this by using machine learning models, particularly neural networks, that are trained on vast amounts of data.

Some well-known examples include OpenAI's GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), which generates human-like text, and image-generation models like DALL·E, which can create new images from textual descriptions. These systems are used in various applications, from writing articles to generating art and even designing products.

Generative AI's ability to innovate and create makes it valuable for businesses, entertainment, design, and many other fields. However, it also raises ethical considerations, such as the potential for creating misleading content like deepfakes or biased outputs based on the data it has learned from.