AI Fluency lesson

Generative AI fundamentals

What you'll learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:

• Define generative AI and how it differs from other AI types
• Recognize the key characteristics and technological foundations of generative AI

Generative AI fundamentals

(6 minutes)

This video introduces the concept of generative AI, focusing on its ability to create new content rather than just analyzing what already exists. We walk through how large language models (LLMs) like Claude actually work and the technological journey that made them possible, from algorithmic breakthroughs like the transformer architecture to vast training datasets and powerful computing. We also explain how these systems learn through pre-training and fine-tuning and discuss concepts like context windows and emergent capabilities.

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Acknowledgments and license

Copyright 2025 Rick Dakan, Joseph Feller, and Anthropic. Released under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. This course is based on The AI Fluency Framework by Dakan and Feller. Supported in part by the Higher Education Authority, Ireland, through the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning.