Simple AI Glossary

This glossary explains 37 AI words you might hear, in simple terms, from "algorithm" to "voice cloning". Each has a short, simple meaning. To find a word quickly, use Find on Page in your browser, or press Ctrl and F on a computer.

Last reviewed: 16 October 2026.

Agentic AI

AI that can take actions, not just answer. Another way of saying AI agents.

AI (artificial intelligence)

Computer programs that can do things that normally need a person, like writing or recognising pictures.

AI agent

An AI that does tasks for you step by step, such as filling in a form or booking a table, not just answering questions. Always check before it pays for or sends anything.

AI Overviews

Short AI-written summaries that appear at the top of some Google search results. Useful, but they can be wrong, so check important facts.

Algorithm

A set of step-by-step instructions a computer follows to do a job.

App

A program on your phone or tablet.

Autonomous

Able to carry on by itself without asking you at each step.

Chat history

The list of your past conversations with a chatbot. You can usually delete them.

Chatbot

A program you talk to by typing or speaking, and it replies.

ChatGPT

A popular chatbot made by the company OpenAI.

Claude

An AI chatbot made by the company Anthropic, good at explaining long documents.

Computer use

When an AI moves the mouse, clicks and types on a screen, the way a person would. Sometimes called an operator.

Copilot

Microsoft's AI helper, built into Windows, Edge, Word and Outlook.

Deepfake

A fake video, photo or voice made by AI to look or sound like a real person.

Free trial

Free for a short time, then you pay unless you cancel.

Gemini

Google's AI chatbot. It works with your Google account.

Hallucination

When an AI confidently says something that is wrong. Always double-check important facts.

Image generator

An AI that creates pictures from a description.

Large language model (LLM)

The 'engine' behind chatbots. It has read huge amounts of text and predicts good replies.

Memory (in a chatbot)

Details a chatbot remembers about you to personalise later answers. You can view and delete them in settings.

Meta AI

The AI chatbot built into WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger and Instagram.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Another name for two-step verification: a second check, like a code on your phone, when you sign in.

Phishing

Fake emails or texts that try to trick you into giving passwords or money.

Privacy policy

The rules for what a company does with your information.

Prompt

The question or instruction you type into an AI.

Scam checker

A tool, such as Bitdefender Scamio, that gives a second opinion on whether a message looks like a scam.

Smishing

Phishing by text message.

Subscription

A regular payment, usually monthly, to keep using something.

Temporary chat

A private chat mode in ChatGPT that isn't saved to your history or used for training.

Training data

The huge amount of text, pictures or sound an AI learned from.

Transcription

Turning speech into written text.

Two-step verification

A second check (like a code sent to your phone) when you log in. It keeps accounts safe.

Upload

Sending a file or photo from your device to a website.

Vibe coding

Making an app by describing it in plain words to an AI, instead of writing code.

Voice assistant

An AI you talk to out loud, like Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant.

Voice cloning

Copying someone's voice with AI. Scammers use it to pretend to be family.

Wake word

The word that makes a voice assistant start listening, such as "Alexa" or "Hey Siri".

New to all this? Start with what is AI? explained simply, then is ChatGPT safe?

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