---
Title: "What Is Generative AI? Definition and Business Uses"
Url: "https://computer.io/glossary/generative-ai"
Topic: "AI foundations"
Description: "Generative AI creates new text, images, code or audio from patterns learned in training data. How it works and how it's used in customer support."
---

# What is generative AI?

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content, such as text, images, code, audio or video, based on patterns learned from large amounts of training data. Large language models are the best-known example, producing human-like text in response to prompts.

## How it works

Models are trained on huge datasets to predict likely next words, pixels or sounds. Given a prompt, they generate new output that follows those learned patterns.

## Business uses

| Use | Example |
| --- | --- |
| Support | Draft and send grounded answers |
| Knowledge | Summarize and write articles |
| Sales | Draft emails and proposals |
| Engineering | Generate code and tests |
| Analytics | Answer data questions in plain language |

## Generative vs agentic AI

Generative AI creates content. Agentic AI uses generative models to plan and take actions toward goals.

## FAQ

### Is ChatGPT generative AI?

Yes. It's a generative AI application built on large language models.

### What are the risks of generative AI?

Hallucinations, bias, privacy and IP concerns, and misuse.

### How is generative AI used in customer support?

To answer questions, draft replies, summarize tickets, translate and analyze conversations.

## Related terms

- [Large language model (LLM)](https://computer.io/glossary/large-language-model)
- [Agentic AI](https://computer.io/glossary/agentic-ai)
- [How does generative AI help customer support?](https://computer.io/answers/how-does-generative-ai-help-customer-support)

## How Computer helps

- [Customer agent](https://devrev.ai/solutions/customer-agent)

## Compare

- [Devrev vs chatgpt](https://devrev.ai/compare/devrev-vs-chatgpt)

## Further reading

- [Generative ai for customer support](https://devrev.ai/blog/generative-ai-for-customer-support)
- [History of ai part 2](https://devrev.ai/blog/history-of-ai-part-2)