AI glossary
Plain-English meanings for 25 common AI words. Each one says what it means for teens, parents and seniors.
A
- AI (artificial intelligence)
Computer systems that do tasks that usually need human thinking, like understanding language or recognizing pictures.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: It's a tool, not a judge: use it, but think for yourself.It's already in the apps your kids use, so ask how they use it.It's software, not a person, even when it sounds friendly.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: It's a tool, not a judge: use it, but think for yourself.
- Parents: It's already in the apps your kids use, so ask how they use it.
- Seniors: It's software, not a person, even when it sounds friendly.
- AI agent
An AI tool that can take actions for you, like booking, buying or sending messages, not just answer questions.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Check what it's allowed to do before you connect your accounts.Be careful giving one access to payments or family accounts.Don't let one spend money or send messages without checking first.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Check what it's allowed to do before you connect your accounts.
- Parents: Be careful giving one access to payments or family accounts.
- Seniors: Don't let one spend money or send messages without checking first.
- AI companion
A chatbot designed to act like a friend or partner and hold ongoing personal conversations.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: It can feel real, but it isn't a person and doesn't keep secrets.Know whether your teen uses one and talk about it openly.Be wary if a 'friend' online starts asking for money or private details.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: It can feel real, but it isn't a person and doesn't keep secrets.
- Parents: Know whether your teen uses one and talk about it openly.
- Seniors: Be wary if a 'friend' online starts asking for money or private details.
- AI detector
A tool that guesses whether text or images were made by AI. Its guesses are often wrong.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: A detector result alone doesn't prove you cheated or didn't.Don't treat a detector score as proof either way.Don't rely on one to tell you if something is real.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: A detector result alone doesn't prove you cheated or didn't.
- Parents: Don't treat a detector score as proof either way.
- Seniors: Don't rely on one to tell you if something is real.
- Algorithm
A set of step-by-step rules a computer follows. Feeds use them to choose what you see next.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Your feed is picked for you to keep you scrolling.Feeds shape what kids see; reset or adjust them together.What you see online is chosen for you, not the whole picture.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Your feed is picked for you to keep you scrolling.
- Parents: Feeds shape what kids see; reset or adjust them together.
- Seniors: What you see online is chosen for you, not the whole picture.
B
- Bias
When an AI's answers unfairly favor or leave out certain people or views, often because of its training data.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: If an answer seems one-sided, question it.Point out to kids that AI can repeat unfair stereotypes.An AI answer isn't automatically neutral.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: If an answer seems one-sided, question it.
- Parents: Point out to kids that AI can repeat unfair stereotypes.
- Seniors: An AI answer isn't automatically neutral.
C
- Chatbot
A program you talk to by typing or speaking, which replies in conversation.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Great for brainstorming; double-check the facts.Know which chatbots your kids use and for what.You can ask it questions in plain words, and check important answers.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Great for brainstorming; double-check the facts.
- Parents: Know which chatbots your kids use and for what.
- Seniors: You can ask it questions in plain words, and check important answers.
D
- Data broker
A company that collects and sells information about people, often without them knowing.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Less info in public profiles means less for them to collect.Limit what family accounts share publicly.Your details may be for sale; be careful what you put on forms.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Less info in public profiles means less for them to collect.
- Parents: Limit what family accounts share publicly.
- Seniors: Your details may be for sale; be careful what you put on forms.
- Deepfake
A fake video, photo or audio made with AI to look or sound like a real person.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: If a clip seems shocking, check the source before sharing.Teach kids that seeing isn't always believing.A video of someone you know could be fake; verify before acting.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: If a clip seems shocking, check the source before sharing.
- Parents: Teach kids that seeing isn't always believing.
- Seniors: A video of someone you know could be fake; verify before acting.
F
- Filter / guardrails
Rules built into an AI tool to block harmful or unsafe answers. They help but aren't perfect.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Guardrails can fail; you're still in charge of what you do.Built-in filters are a start, not a substitute for talking.Safety features help, but stay cautious.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Guardrails can fail; you're still in charge of what you do.
- Parents: Built-in filters are a start, not a substitute for talking.
- Seniors: Safety features help, but stay cautious.
G
- Generative AI
AI that creates new content, such as text, images, music or video.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Useful for making stuff; be honest when you use it for school.It can make convincing fakes as well as useful things.It can write or draw on request, and it can also make fakes.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Useful for making stuff; be honest when you use it for school.
- Parents: It can make convincing fakes as well as useful things.
- Seniors: It can write or draw on request, and it can also make fakes.
H
- Hallucination
When an AI states something false or made up as if it were true.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Always check facts, quotes and sources it gives you.Show kids how to fact-check AI answers.AI can sound sure and still be wrong; check important answers.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Always check facts, quotes and sources it gives you.
- Parents: Show kids how to fact-check AI answers.
- Seniors: AI can sound sure and still be wrong; check important answers.
I
- Image generator
An AI tool that makes pictures from a text description.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Don't make images of real people without their OK.Talk about consent and fake images of classmates.A realistic photo online might not be a real photo.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Don't make images of real people without their OK.
- Parents: Talk about consent and fake images of classmates.
- Seniors: A realistic photo online might not be a real photo.
L
- LLM (large language model)
The type of AI behind most chatbots. It learns patterns from huge amounts of text to predict likely words.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: It predicts words; it doesn't 'know' things like a person.It's why chatbots sound fluent even when they're wrong.It writes by predicting words, so check what it says.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: It predicts words; it doesn't 'know' things like a person.
- Parents: It's why chatbots sound fluent even when they're wrong.
- Seniors: It writes by predicting words, so check what it says.
M
- Machine learning
A way of building AI where computers learn patterns from examples instead of following hand-written rules.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: It's how apps learn what you like.Your family's app use helps train what you're shown.Apps learn from what you tap and watch.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: It's how apps learn what you like.
- Parents: Your family's app use helps train what you're shown.
- Seniors: Apps learn from what you tap and watch.
- Model
The trained AI system itself, the 'engine' an app runs on.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Different apps may use different models with different strengths.The same app can change when its model is updated.It's the part of the app that does the thinking work.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Different apps may use different models with different strengths.
- Parents: The same app can change when its model is updated.
- Seniors: It's the part of the app that does the thinking work.
O
- Open source
Software whose code is published so anyone can see, use or change it.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Open doesn't automatically mean safe; check where you download it.Download tools only from official sources.Free to use doesn't always mean safe to install.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Open doesn't automatically mean safe; check where you download it.
- Parents: Download tools only from official sources.
- Seniors: Free to use doesn't always mean safe to install.
P
- Phishing (AI-powered)
Scam messages that trick you into clicking links or sharing info. AI makes them more polished and personal.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Good spelling no longer means a message is real.Teach kids to check the sender and never share codes.If a message rushes you, stop and call back on a known number.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Good spelling no longer means a message is real.
- Parents: Teach kids to check the sender and never share codes.
- Seniors: If a message rushes you, stop and call back on a known number.
- Privacy setting
Options in an app that control who sees your info and what the app collects.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Check them once on every app you use.Review them with your kids, especially location sharing.Ask someone you trust to go through them with you.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Check them once on every app you use.
- Parents: Review them with your kids, especially location sharing.
- Seniors: Ask someone you trust to go through them with you.
- Prompt
The question or instruction you type or say to an AI.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Clear, specific prompts get better results.Leave out private details when you write prompts.You can ask in your own everyday words.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Clear, specific prompts get better results.
- Parents: Leave out private details when you write prompts.
- Seniors: You can ask in your own everyday words.
T
- Terms of service
The rules you agree to when you use an app, including how it can use your data.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Check the age rules and what happens to your uploads.Many AI apps set minimum ages; check before kids sign up.It's okay to ask for help understanding them.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Check the age rules and what happens to your uploads.
- Parents: Many AI apps set minimum ages; check before kids sign up.
- Seniors: It's okay to ask for help understanding them.
- Token
A small chunk of text, like part of a word, that AI models read and write. Limits are often counted in tokens.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: It's why very long chats can 'forget' earlier parts.Mostly a technical term; you rarely need to manage it.Just a technical unit; you don't need to worry about it.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: It's why very long chats can 'forget' earlier parts.
- Parents: Mostly a technical term; you rarely need to manage it.
- Seniors: Just a technical unit; you don't need to worry about it.
- Training data
The examples, such as text and images, an AI learned from.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: What it learned from shapes what it gets right and wrong.Some apps may use your uploads to train; check the settings.Ask whether an app uses what you share to train its AI.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: What it learned from shapes what it gets right and wrong.
- Parents: Some apps may use your uploads to train; check the settings.
- Seniors: Ask whether an app uses what you share to train its AI.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
A second check, such as a code or app prompt, in addition to your password when you sign in.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Turn it on for email and social accounts.Turn it on for family accounts; it blocks most takeovers.Never read the code out to anyone who calls you.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Turn it on for email and social accounts.
- Parents: Turn it on for family accounts; it blocks most takeovers.
- Seniors: Never read the code out to anyone who calls you.
V
- Voice clone
An AI copy of someone's voice, made from a short recording.
What it means for teensparentsseniors: Be careful what voice clips you post publicly.Set up a family code word for emergency calls.A call can sound like family and still be fake; ask for your code word.
What it means for parents and seniorsteens and seniorsteens and parents
- Teens: Be careful what voice clips you post publicly.
- Parents: Set up a family code word for emergency calls.
- Seniors: A call can sound like family and still be fake; ask for your code word.