What is Generative AI and How Does it Work?

Generative AI is a cutting-edge technology that has gained significant attention in recent years. You may have heard about ChatGPT or its competitors, which are products based on generative AI. But what exactly is generative AI, and how does it work? This guide will provide a brief, non-technical introduction to generative AI and its potential applications.

What is Generative AI?

At its core, generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that is designed to create new content or data based on the information it has been trained on. This can include generating human-like text, creating realistic images, composing music, or even designing new drugs. In essence, generative AI can learn patterns from existing data and use this knowledge to generate new and original content that resembles the data it has been trained on.

Large Language Models

One subset of generative AI that has gained significant attention is large language models. These models, such as ChatGPT, specialize in understanding and generating human-like text. They are trained on vast amounts of written text from various sources, such as books, articles, and websites. By learning the patterns and structures within the text, large language models gain a deep understanding of grammar, style, and even some general knowledge about the world.

How Does Generative AI Work?

Generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, are built using a technology called deep learning. These models consist of artificial neural networks, which are inspired by the structure and function of the human brain. These networks can process and learn from large amounts of data, identifying patterns, and making connections.

During the training process, a generative AI model is exposed to vast amounts of data, such as text, images, or music. It learns to recognize patterns and features within this data and develops an understanding of the underlying structure. Once trained, the model can generate new content that mirrors the characteristics of the data it has seen before.

Examples of Generative AI

Generative AI has a wide range of applications across various industries. Here are some examples:

Generative AI, particularly large language models, can create human-like text for tasks such as writing articles, creating marketing copy, or even generating poetry and stories. ChatGPT and its competitors are prime examples of this application.

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is used to generate human-like text for a variety of purposes, including drafting emails, writing articles, and creating conversational agents for customer support.

Grammarly, an AI-powered writing assistant, helps users improve their writing by offering suggestions for grammar, spelling, and style, all generated based on the analysis of large amounts of text data.

Generative AI can create realistic images from descriptions, modify existing images, or even design new artwork.

DALL-E, another product by OpenAI, is a generative AI model capable of creating original images from textual descriptions, which can be used for advertising, art, or concept visualization. NVIDIA's GauGAN allows users to create photorealistic images by simply drawing rough sketches, which has potential applications in fields like architecture, video game design, and virtual reality.

Generative AI can compose new music by learning from existing compositions and creating original pieces in a similar style. AIVA (Artificial Intelligence Virtual Artist) is an AI music composer that can generate original music for use in films, video games, or commercials, based on the analysis of existing compositions.

Amper Music is an AI-powered platform that allows users to create unique, royalty-free music for their projects by customizing the style, tempo, and mood of the generated pieces.

Generative AI can analyze chemical structures and create new molecules with desired properties, potentially speeding up the drug discovery process. Insilico Medicine uses generative AI to design new drug candidates based on the desired properties and target proteins, potentially accelerating the drug development process.

Atomwise is an AI-based drug discovery platform that utilizes deep learning to predict the binding affinity of small molecules to target proteins, helping to identify new drug candidates more efficiently.

Generative AI can be used to create new levels, characters, or even entire game worlds based on existing designs. AI Dungeon, a text-based adventure game, uses AI to generate unique and dynamic storylines, characters, and scenarios based on the player's choices, resulting in an ever-evolving gaming experience. Generative AI, particularly large language models, can create human-like text for tasks such as writing articles, creating marketing copy, or even generating poetry and stories. 

While generative AI has many exciting applications, it is essential to recognize its limitations. Generated content may sometimes be unrealistic, biased, or nonsensical. Moreover, there are ethical and privacy concerns surrounding the use of generative AI, which we will explore in more detail later in this course. In conclusion, generative AI is a powerful technology with the potential to revolutionize various industries. By understanding the basics of how it works and its potential applications, you can better appreciate the opportunities and challenges it presents.

To learn more about Generative AI and how it works, check out the CareerCatalyst course AI Foundations: Prompt Engineering.