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What is Generative AI?
Generative AI is AI that creates new things, such as text, images, sound, video or code, from a short instruction.
- Category Models
- Also called GenAI, gen AI
- Updated 20 Oct 2026
Generative AI, explained simply
Older AI mostly sorted or labeled things, like marking an email as spam. Generative AI makes something new instead.
You type what you want, and it writes a story, draws a picture or builds a small program. This is what most people mean by AI today.
If you ask a chatbot for a birthday message or ask an image tool for a cartoon cat, you are using generative AI.
On ITG Now, many of our free tool guides cover generative AI tools that write, draw or make video.
Related terms
LLMDiffusion modelChatbotText-to-imageText-to-videoFoundation model
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Questions people ask about Generative AI
Is generative AI free to use?
Some tools are free and some cost money. Our free tool guides list open-source options you can try.
Generative AI vs AI: what is the difference?
AI is the big family of smart software. Generative AI is the part that creates new content.