Generative AI
AI
AI
Generative AI is AI that creates new content: text, images, audio, video or code, based on an instruction in plain language.
The difference with earlier AI is the output. Classic models classify or predict (is this spam, who is likely to buy); generative models produce something new. Well-known examples are ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini for text, plus image models for visuals.
In marketing it is strongest as an accelerator: first drafts, ad variants, summaries, translations, structure in raw research. It rarely delivers something you can publish without editing, and that is not the point either.
Two things to settle before scaling up: who checks what goes out, and what you do and do not put in a prompt. Customer data, contracts and non-public figures do not belong in a tool whose processing you do not know.
Tip
Always have generated content checked before it goes out. That way you keep the time savings without losing credibility.
Related terms
- Artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence is the umbrella term for software that performs tasks normally requiring human judgement: understanding language, recognising patterns, predicting and deciding.
- LLMAn LLM is a large language model trained to predict the next word, which lets it understand and generate text. ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini run on them.
- PromptA prompt is the instruction you give an AI model. The clearer the role, goal, context and required format, the more usable the answer.
- HallucinationA hallucination is an AI answer that sounds convincing but is factually wrong or invented, such as a non-existent source or an incorrect figure.