Sidebar is Loading...
Sign In
Brands
Resources
Stories
YSTV
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
Brands
Resources
Stories
YSTV
Catalogue
Generative AI (Gen AI) is a type of artificial intelligence that uses deep learning models to create new content, such as text, images, and videos, based on patterns in the data it was trained on. It can also adapt its knowledge to solve new problems.
Generative AI didn’t just appear overnight, it’s the result of decades of innovation. Here’s a quick timeline showing how we moved from simple systems to today’s advanced models:
1966 – ELIZA, one of the first chatbots, mimicked a psychotherapist using basic rules. Fun fact: Some users believed they were chatting with a real person.
1980s–90s – Rule-based expert systems dominated. These followed hard-coded instructions and couldn’t learn from data.
2014 – GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks) were introduced, allowing AI to generate realistic images.
2018 – GPT-1 launched, marking a new era of large language models capable of human-like text generation.
2020–2023 – GPT-3, DALL·E, and ChatGPT stunned the world with their ability to create text, images, and even code.
Today – We now have multimodal models like GPT-4 that can understand and generate across multiple formats—text, images, and video.
Notable first: DALL·E was one of the earliest tools to generate images from text, such as “a pencil riding a skateboard through space.”
Generative AI may feel like magic, but under the hood, it’s a blend of data, math, and machine learning. Here’s how it works in simple steps:
1. Massive Training: First, the AI is trained on huge datasets—think books, websites, images, videos, music, and more. This helps it "learn" patterns in language, visuals, sounds, or code.
2. Pattern Recognition: Over time, the AI becomes really good at spotting how things typically look, sound, or flow. For example, it learns what a poem sounds like or how a cat usually appears in images.
3. Model Building: Using deep learning (often with neural networks), the AI builds a complex model that can predict what should come next in a sequence, like the next word in a sentence or the next pixel in an image.
4. Prompt Input: You give it a prompt (like “Write a sci-fi story about time-travelling bees”), and it uses what it learned to generate a response.
5. Output Generation: Voilà! It creates new content that feels surprisingly human, whether it's text, art, or even code.
Generative AI doesn’t think like us, but it mimics creativity by remixing what it’s seen before.
Think of AI like chefs in a kitchen:
In short, traditional AI identifies, while generative AI creates.
A successful generative AI model must meet three key criteria:
GenAI is transforming multiple industries with its ability to create text, audio, visuals, and synthetic data, enabling innovative applications across various fields.
Large Language Models (LLMs) power text-based applications like essay writing, code development, translation, and genetic sequence analysis.
Generative AI is already a part of everyday life, powering tools and applications across industries. Here are some standout examples:
From creatives to coders, generative AI is becoming a go-to co-creator.
Despite their advancements, generative AI systems can sometimes produce inaccurate or misleading information. They rely on patterns and data they were trained on, and can reflect biases or inaccuracies inherent in that data. Other concerns related to training data include:
Generative AI isn’t just impressive, it’s transforming the way we work, learn, and create.
McKinsey estimates generative AI could add $2.6 to $4.4 trillion to the global economy each year.
What’s on the horizon for generative AI? Here’s what the next 5–10 years might hold:
As AI continues to evolve, human-AI collaboration will become the norm rather than the exception.
Yes—within limits. It generates new content like art, stories, and music based on patterns in the data it was trained on. It’s not "original" in the human sense, but it can be surprisingly inventive.
Yes, generally, but it’s important to use it responsibly. Risks include misinformation, bias, and misuse (such as deepfakes). Always check sources and be cautious with sensitive content.
Generative AI is trained on massive datasets—text, images, or code—to learn patterns and relationships. It uses this knowledge to generate new outputs based on prompts or inputs.
It might automate some roles, especially repetitive or routine tasks. But it’s also creating new jobs in AI ethics, prompt engineering, and creative industries. Many tasks still need human judgment and empathy.
You can explore:
Most tools are intuitive—just enter a prompt and see what happens.
A prompt is the instruction you give the AI to tell it what you want.
Example: “Write a short story about a robot who wants to be a painter.”
Prompts guide the output, so be clear and specific.
Absolutely. With ongoing research, better data, and improved safety protocols, generative AI will continue to get more capable and helpful across fields.
Think of it like this: all LLMs are generative AIs, but not all generative AIs are LLMs.