Unit 16: GenAI Terminology: A Primer
Introduction
Review the following genAI terminology to become familiar with not only the vocabulary but also the components and processes that comprise this technology. The more familiar you become with these elements, the more confident you will feel in working with the tools.
The following glossary is offered in two parts: The GenAI System and Usage. The GenAI System glossary has been largely adapted from the Glossary of Artificial Intelligence Terms for Educators (Ruiz & Fusco, 2024) and follows a non-alphabetic order as the items are listed in logical sequence. The Usage glossary has been compiled alphabetically mainly from the University of British Columbia’s Glossary of GenAI Terms. Both glossaries have been supplemented with information from other sources as indicated.
Glossary: The GenAI System
Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is a branch of computer science. AI systems use hardware, algorithms, and data to create “intelligence” to do things like make decisions, discover patterns, and perform some sort of action. AI is a general term, and there are more specific terms used in the field of AI. The term is also more broadly used to refer to applications. AI systems can be built in different ways, two of the primary ways are: 1) through the use of rules provided by a human (rule-based systems); or 2) with machine learning algorithms. Many newer AI systems use machine learning (see definition of machine learning below).
Algorithm: Algorithms are the “brains” of an AI system and what determines decisions. In other words, algorithms consist of the rules for the actions the AI system takes. Machine learning algorithms can discover their own rules (see Machine Learning for more) or be rule-based where human programmers give the rules.
Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI): AI can solve narrow problems through what is known as artificial narrow intelligence (ANI); it is used mostly for specific, task-focused purposes. For example, a smartphone can use facial recognition to identify photos of an individual in the Photos app, but that same system cannot identify sounds. ANI exists in much of the technology that we use daily.
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is predicted to be available by 2026 (Schroeder, 2024). It will be capable of completing human tasks and exercising higher order cognitive abilities, including: exercising abstract thinking, applying background knowledge, exercising common sense, determining cause and effect, and transferring learning (Hashemi-Pour & Lutkevish, n.d.). The range of capabilities of the technology will greatly extend what current artificial intelligence is capable of doing.
Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI): Building on the capabilities of AGI, artificial super intelligence (ASI) is thought to be an evolution that would see AI surpass human intelligence, acting autonomously in all spheres of activity. “These machines would feature high