Glossary: Understanding AI Terms
This glossary explains common AI and technical terms in simple language. Don't worry about memorizing these - you can refer back to this guide whenever you encounter unfamiliar terms.
A
Agent
Simple definition: An AI program that can perform tasks automatically In Signpost AI: The AI applications you build that can chat with users, process documents, or analyze data
Anthropic
Simple definition: A company that creates AI models like Claude In Signpost AI: One of the AI providers your agents can use for text generation and analysis
API (Application Programming Interface)
Simple definition: A way for different software programs to talk to each other In Signpost AI: How your agents connect to external services like ChatGPT, Claude, or WhatsApp
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Simple definition: Computer programs that can think and learn like humans In Signpost AI: The technology that powers your agents to understand and respond to users
B
Bot
Simple definition: Another word for an automated program that can interact with users In Signpost AI: The same as an "agent" - your AI applications
C
Chatbot
Simple definition: A computer program that can have conversations with people In Signpost AI: Agents that can chat with customers, answer questions, or provide support
Context
Simple definition: The information that helps AI understand what you're talking about In Signpost AI: Your agent remembers previous parts of a conversation to give better responses
D
Data
Simple definition: Information that computers can process In Signpost AI: Documents, conversations, and other information your agents use to work
Deployment
Simple definition: Making your AI agent available for people to use In Signpost AI: Publishing your agent so customers or employees can interact with it
E
Embedding
Simple definition: A way to convert words into numbers that computers can understand In Signpost AI: How your agents understand the meaning of text and documents
F
Flow
Simple definition: The step-by-step process your AI agent follows In Signpost AI: The visual diagram showing how information moves through your agent
G
GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer)
Simple definition: A type of AI that can understand and generate human-like text In Signpost AI: One of the AI models your agents can use to respond to users
H
Human-in-the-Loop
Simple definition: When AI works with humans to make decisions In Signpost AI: Your agents can ask humans for help with complex or uncertain situations
I
Input
Simple definition: Information that goes into your AI agent In Signpost AI: Messages from users, uploaded files, or data from other systems
Integration
Simple definition: Connecting your AI agent to other software systems In Signpost AI: How your agents work with your existing tools like email, CRM, or websites
Integration Channel
Simple definition: The specific platform or service your agent uses to communicate In Signpost AI: Options like Telerivet for SMS/WhatsApp, or other messaging platforms
J
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
Simple definition: A way to organize data that computers can easily read In Signpost AI: A format your agents can use to structure information
K
Knowledge Base
Simple definition: A collection of information your AI agent can access In Signpost AI: Documents, FAQs, and other resources your agents use to answer questions
L
LLM (Large Language Model)
Simple definition: A type of AI that can understand and generate human language In Signpost AI: The technology that powers your agents' ability to communicate
M
Model
Simple definition: The "brain" of your AI agent In Signpost AI: Different AI models (like GPT-4 or Claude) that your agents can use
Multimodal
Simple definition: AI that can work with different types of information (text, images, audio) In Signpost AI: Your agents can process text, images, and voice messages
Message Worker
Simple definition: A component that handles sending messages to users In Signpost AI: The worker that sends responses via SMS, WhatsApp, or other messaging platforms
N
Natural Language
Simple definition: How humans naturally speak and write In Signpost AI: Your agents understand regular human language, not computer code
Node
Simple definition: A building block in your AI agent's flow In Signpost AI: Each component in your visual flow diagram
O
OpenAI
Simple definition: A company that creates AI models like GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 In Signpost AI: One of the main AI providers your agents can use for text generation, image analysis, and speech-to-text
Output
Simple definition: What your AI agent produces or sends back In Signpost AI: Responses to users, generated documents, or data analysis results
P
Prompt
Simple definition: Instructions you give to your AI agent In Signpost AI: The text that tells your agent how to behave and what to do
Playground
Simple definition: A safe environment to test your AI agent In Signpost AI: Where you can try out your agents before making them available to users
Q
Query
Simple definition: A question or request from a user In Signpost AI: What users ask your agents
R
Response
Simple definition: What your AI agent says or does in reply In Signpost AI: The answer or action your agent provides to users
ROI (Return on Investment)
Simple definition: How much money you save or earn compared to what you spend In Signpost AI: The financial benefits of using AI agents in your business
S
Schema
Simple definition: A structure that defines how data should be organized In Signpost AI: Templates that help your agents understand and organize information
Scaling
Simple definition: Making your AI agent work for more users or handle more work In Signpost AI: How your agents automatically handle increased usage
Supabase
Simple definition: A cloud platform that provides database and authentication services In Signpost AI: The backend system that stores your agents, user data, and conversation history
T
Template
Simple definition: A pre-built starting point for your AI agent In Signpost AI: Ready-made agent designs you can customize for your needs
Telerivet
Simple definition: A platform for sending SMS and WhatsApp messages In Signpost AI: The service that allows your agents to send text messages and WhatsApp messages to users
Training
Simple definition: Teaching your AI agent how to do specific tasks In Signpost AI: Providing examples and instructions to improve your agent's performance
U
Use Case
Simple definition: A specific way to use AI in your business In Signpost AI: Examples like customer service chatbots, document generation, or data analysis
User Experience (UX)
Simple definition: How easy and pleasant it is to use your AI agent In Signpost AI: Making sure your agents are helpful, fast, and easy to interact with
V
Vector
Simple definition: A way to represent information as numbers In Signpost AI: How your agents understand and compare different pieces of information
Version Control
Simple definition: Keeping track of changes to your AI agent In Signpost AI: Saving different versions of your agents so you can go back to previous versions
W
Simple definition: A popular messaging app owned by Meta In Signpost AI: One of the messaging platforms your agents can use to communicate with users through Telerivet
Worker
Simple definition: A component that does a specific job in your AI agent In Signpost AI: Building blocks like AI processors, document generators, or search tools
Workflow
Simple definition: A series of steps your AI agent follows In Signpost AI: The process your agent uses to complete tasks
X
XML (Extensible Markup Language)
Simple definition: A way to organize data with tags In Signpost AI: A format your agents can use to structure information
Y
Yield
Simple definition: The results or output your AI agent produces In Signpost AI: What your agents deliver to users
Z
Zero-shot Learning
Simple definition: When AI can do new tasks without specific training In Signpost AI: Your agents can handle new types of questions without being reprogrammed
Don't worry about memorizing these terms! The Signpost AI platform is designed to be user-friendly, so you can focus on building great AI agents without getting bogged down in technical jargon.