What is Generative AI?
In the world of technology there always seems to be something new to learn. While this is part of what makes being a software engineer so fun and exciting, it can be overwhelming to keep up with the latest and greatest new tools. The latest example of this for me has been the concept of Generative AI. It’s something we are seeing pop up more and more, but few understand the fundamentals well enough to describe how it works. Even fewer understand why it’s unique and worth investing in (other than the hype, that is).
Generative AI has a lot of promising use cases. Everything from writing scripts for movies to conducting medical research could use generative models to further progress in their industry. Students are using the technology to complete their essays and write programming assignments in the classroom, much to the chagrin of their teachers. Between the good and the bad, one thing is for certain: this new type of AI is fundamentally changing how work gets done in many ways. For those leading organizations, how can you be sure your business won’t be left behind?
In this video, I work to demystify the generative AI technology powering tools like ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and IBM’s WatsonX. These tools are easy to get started with as an end user or customer, but how did they become so sophisticated? What makes an AI generative rather than some other type of AI? I hope you’ll take some time to listen as I teach back what I’ve learned so far on this exciting new domain. In addition, I’d love to discuss my perspective and hear what I may have missed!
This video is just the beginning. As the world around generative AI continues to evolve, more concepts and norms will begin to solidify. After this brief introduction, take some time to investigate these demos and tools for yourself. Try out some prompt engineering in the publicly accessible tools like ChatGPT and Bard. As this technology grows and changes, stay tuned for both introductions to new terminology as well as deep dives into the latest advancements!
