Definition: AI model

An AI model provides the knowledge and intelligence from which ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and other chatbots generate results. However, the architecture of a model is not factual records like a common database of information. The model is a mathematical system of interconnected weights that encode learned patterns loosely based on the human brain (see neural network). AI models and chatbots are nothing like traditional data processing applications.

Models Are Programmed and Then Trained
Models are "trained" by being fed data, and in some cases, most of the knowledge available over the Internet. They are also fine-tuned by AI engineers to answer questions and generate original content. See AI programming.

The Model Is Part One
A model is part one of a two-part system. Part two is the "inference" software, which uses the model to answer questions. Inference software may be able to work with numerous models, each trained on different data. See inference and AI training vs. inference.

Language models deal with text while image models handle drawings and photos. Multimodal models support some combination of text, images, audio and video. See large language model, AI diffusion and AI secret sauce.