generative AI

noun

variants or less commonly generative artificial intelligence

: artificial intelligence (see artificial intelligence sense 2) that is capable of generating new content (such as images or text) in response to a submitted prompt (such as a query) by learning from a large reference database of examples

Generative AI is a computer tool that can create text that sounds like it was written by a human, based on a given starting point.

—Stephanie Sylvestre

In a departure from previous efforts, Therabot is powered by generative artificial intelligence, meaning it can use existing data and documentation to develop original actions and responses. Another example of generative AI is DALL-E 2, the popular program that can create images from user prompts.

—Sarah Sloat

Publishers hire armies of journalists to produce content. … These publishers will soon leverage generative AI to instantly create thousands of SEO-optimized articles …

—Lloyd Danzig

Examples of generative AI in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The exercise started in spring 2023 as Phelps grew frustrated with the reality that students were using generative AI and online translation platforms to churn out grammatically perfect assignments. —ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026

Understandably, some gamers may be skeptical or even alarmed, given the ethical issues and legal battles surrounding generative AI. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026

To be clear, there is little credible scholarly evidence that EdTech, in general, improves learning outcomes, and no conclusive evidence that generative AI improves learning outcomes over traditional human teaching. —Dr. Timothy Scott, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026

For this story, Fortune journalists used generative AI as a research tool. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2012, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for generative AI

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify