ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Generative artificial intelligence

Generative artificial intelligence is like having a magic machine that can create things all by itself. Just like when you draw a picture, you start with a blank piece of paper and use your creativity to draw something unique. The machine does something similar, but instead of drawing, it makes things like music or images.

The machine uses a type of brain called a neural network. This helps the machine learn by giving it lots of examples to look at. Imagine you are learning how to make a sandwich, and your mom shows you different pictures of sandwiches. You would learn what a sandwich looks like and then try to make one yourself. The neural network works the same way.

Once the machine has learned from all the examples, it can start making its own creations. It's like a chef who has learned all the different cooking techniques, and then starts coming up with their own recipe. Sometimes the machine will make something that looks familiar, like a picture of a cat. But sometimes it will make something totally new, like a picture of a cat with wings!

Generative AI can be used for all sorts of things like making music, creating images, or even writing stories. It's like having a helper that can come up with new and exciting ideas that we may not have thought of before.