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LATHICAI Glossary

Generative AI & LLMs

AI assistant

An AI tool that helps a person complete tasks such as writing, searching or organizing information.

Example

An assistant drafts a reply using a message you provide.

Why people use it

It reduces the time spent on routine writing, searching and organizing.

What you'll hear

“I'll ask the assistant to help prepare this.”

What this means for you

Check its permitted actions before giving it responsibility.

Can you control it?

Sometimes

Sometimes. Your choices depend on the tool and your access. The settings available to an everyday user may differ from those available to the people running it.

Common questions

Can an assistant act without asking?
That depends on its tools, permissions and approval settings.
Is it the same as a search engine?
Not quite. An assistant may draft or organize material as well as find information.
Does it always know today's news?
No. It needs access to recent information to answer reliably about events that happened after its training.

Related terms

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