What is an LLM, in plain English?

The same tool that finishes a sentence can draft an email, summarise a contract, answer a customer's question, or turn your long voice note into a neat quote. It doesn't 'understand' like you do. It knows patterns from many examples and creates a new one when needed.

Here's the catch: a basic LLM knows the world, but not your business. It might guess your prices. That's why it's crucial to pair the model with your real information. This is called 'grounding,' and it's worth understanding.

Imagine you run a bakery. A basic AI model can write general stuff about bread. But a grounded one, with your menu, hours, and delivery rules, can answer real questions about your sourdough. The model is the engine. Your details are the fuel. The build is the car that holds it all. When buying 'AI', ask if they're selling the engine, fuel, or car.