AI is everywhere – but what does it really mean?
From chatbots drafting emails in seconds to factories predicting equipment failures and algorithms generating new images; artificial intelligence has transformed every sector. Yet for being everywhere, AI remains shrouded in confusion—partly because the term spans wildly different technologies (a factory’s predictive maintenance AI operates nothing like your email chatbot). And the jargon like “GenAI” and “open-weight models,” doesn’t tell the whole story. It should also be noted that one-size-doesn’t-fit-all: the AI optimizing manufacturing would fail at creative tasks, and vice versa.
So, let’s demystify all that jargon.
AI vs GenAI vs Industrial AI
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
AI stands for artificial intelligence, which in many ways is a misnomer since the systems can’t actually think and reason for themselves, yet. AI – in simplest terms – needs a large database to back it up and it can very quickly search through millions of bits of data, either in a closed, proprietary pool, or large crowdsourced pool, to come back with an answer to a query you pose it. The more specific your query, the more precise the answer. AI is designed to analyze existing data to improve efficiency and decision making at lightning speed.
GenAI (Generative AI)
GenAI, or generative AI, is more specific and focused on creating new content such as text, images, and music. It generates new data from its training data which has been encoded with weights stored in the model. It doesn’t technically create from scratch instead it remixes patterns and creates an extraction and amalgamation from existing data that looks new.
Industrial AI
Industrial AI used in manufacturing and engineering often works with digital twins, virtual replicas of physical systems. Think of it as a way to duplicate your factory floor, your building or your designs in a digital landscape and manipulate them within that digital space to see how adjustments in one area affect the whole. The AI behind the scenes is capable of processing complex calculations rapidly so you can quickly see the impact of small changes.
All of these systems use a similar underpinning of code that in simplest terms you can compare to a giant spreadsheet. Every cell starts with the number 1 in it and as the system gets trained it adds weights and numbers to each piece of information it trains on.
Open-weight or closed-weight
Open-weight models
- Offer more flexibility
- Enable developers to inspect, modify, and customize AI
- Ideal for companies wanting to integrate AI into existing workflows without vendor lock-in
Note: Open-weight is not the same as open-source. Open-weight models provide access to the AI’s architecture and outputs, but don’t always come with fully open code.
Closed-weight models
- Proprietary solutions
- Inner workings are locked by the company that created them
- Businesses must pay for access, and customization is limited
The Big Players and the Game Changer
Some of the biggest players are Microsoft, OpenAI, Google (Gemini), Apple, and Meta who dominate the AI space, and now there’s the new disruptor that has emerged: DeepSeek. The Chinese AI start-up founded in 2023 by High-Flyer, a quantitative hedge fund with a $13.79 billion portfolio.
The biggest difference is DeepSeek reportedly uses 75% less energy and 94% cheaper development, making it more affordable, more efficient, and more accessible. The disruption is forcing other players in the AI space to rethink some of their offerings. At this time they are creating more proprietary solutions for clients, rather than reducing costs.
AI isn’t just the future – It’s Here!
We’re living through what historians will call the AI Revolution – a transformation as profound as the industrial revolution, but happening at an extraordinary speed. Forward-thinking businesses aren’t just adopting AI; they’re using it to redefine what’s possible – achieving what was unthinkable just months ago in efficiency, speed, and global reach.
At Group-Q, we’re pioneering the next wave of intelligent business solutions. Our unique fusion of cutting-edge AI and deep linguistic expertise creates bridges where others see barriers.
Whether you need to:
• Automate operations with unprecedented precision
• Launch products globally in record time
• Deliver customer experiences that feel local everywhere
We don’t just implement AI – we produce intelligent solutions tailored to your ambitions. The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in AI, but whether you can afford to wait while competitors leap ahead.
In the meantime, read through the article our CEO, Diane McAveeney, wrote on DeepSeek’s entry into the AI field.