Comparison of user features of chatbots

Generative artificial intelligence (Generative AI, GenAI,^[1] or GAI) is a subfield of artificial intelligence that uses generative models to produce text, images, videos, audio, software code or other forms of data.^[2][3] These models learn the underlying patterns and structures of their training data and use them to produce new data^[4][5] based on the input, which often comes in the form of natural language prompts.^[6][7]

Generative AI tools have become more common since the AI boom in the 2020s. This boom was made possible by improvements in transformer-based deep neural networks, particularly large language models (LLMs). Major tools include chatbots such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and DeepSeek; text-to-image models such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, and DALL-E; and text-to-video models such as Veo and Sora.^[8][9][10] Technology companies developing generative AI include OpenAI, xAI, Anthropic, Meta AI, Microsoft, Google, Mistral AI, DeepSeek, Baidu^[11] and Yandex.^[12]

Generative AI is used across many industries, including software development,^[13] healthcare,^[14] finance,^[15] entertainment,^[16] customer service,^[17] sales and marketing,^[18] art, writing,^[19] fashion,^[20] and product design.^[21] The production of generative AI systems requires large scale data centers using specialized chips which require a lot of electricity for processing and water for cooling.^[22]

Generative AI has raised many ethical questions and governance challenges as it can be used for cybercrime, or to deceive or manipulate people through fake news or deepfakes.^[23][24] Even if used ethically, it may lead to mass replacement of human jobs.^[25] The tools themselves have been criticized as violating intellectual property laws, since they are trained on copyrighted works.^[26] The material and energy intensity of the AI systems has raised concerns about the environmental impact of AI, especially in light of the challenges created by the energy transition.

A chatbot (originally chatterbot^[27]) is a software application or web interface that is designed to mimic human conversation through text or voice interactions.^[28][29][30] Modern chatbots are typically online and use generative artificial intelligence systems that are capable of maintaining a conversation with a user in natural language and simulating the way a human would behave as a conversational partner. Such chatbots often use deep learning and natural language processing, but simpler chatbots have existed for decades.

As of 2022, the field has gained widespread attention due to the popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT (using GPT-3 or GPT-4),^[31] released in 2022 and 2023 respectively,^[32] followed by alternatives such as Microsoft's Copilot (which uses OpenAI's GPT-4) and Google's Bard.^[33] Such examples reflect the recent practice of such products being built based upon broad foundational large language models that get fine-tuned so as to target specific tasks or applications (i.e. simulating human conversation, in the case of chatbots). Chatbots can also be designed or customized to further target even more specific situations and/or particular subject-matter domains.^[34]

A major area where chatbots have long been used is in customer service and support, with various sorts of virtual assistants.^[35] Companies spanning a wide range of industries have begun using the latest generative artificial intelligence technologies to power more advanced developments in such areas.^[34]

Ernie Bot (Chinese: 文心一言, wénxīn yī​yán), full name Enhanced Representation through Knowledge Integration,^[36] is an AI chatbot service product of Baidu, under development since 2019. It is based on a large language model named "Ernie 4.0", announced on October 17, 2023.^[37]