I’ve been hearing the term “Generative AI” everywhere lately, and it made me wonder, what exactly is it? If you’ve been asking yourself the same question, you’re not alone! Generative AI is one of the most talked-about technologies today, and for good reason. It helps people write emails, draft blog posts, generate realistic images, compose music, and even write code, completely reshaping how we create and interact with digital content.
But how does it actually work? In this blog, we’ll explore the basics together in simple, easy-to-understand terms.
In this blog:
What is Generative AI?
Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can actually create new content. Instead of just sorting or analyzing data, generative AI learns from existing examples and uses that knowledge to produce entirely original text, images, videos, music, and even code.
Simply put, generative AI is all about creating something new rather than just organizing what already exists.
Here are some popular generative AI tools you might’ve heard of (or even used!):
- ChatGPT (for text):
I personally use ChatGPT all the time—especially for managing my projects, brainstorming ideas, and writing blogs. Fun fact: This entire post, from the outline and initial draft to proofreading, was created with the help of ChatGPT. Pretty neat, right? - DALL·E and Midjourney (for images):
I haven’t tried these image-generation tools yet, but I’ve seen some incredible results online. They can turn simple text prompts into beautiful and realistic images. - Runway (for video editing and generation):
Another exciting tool I’ve heard about but haven’t tested myself yet. It’s great for creating and editing videos, and I’d love to explore it soon! - GitHub Copilot (for coding):
I’m not a programmer myself, but GitHub Copilot is designed to help developers by suggesting or automatically completing code snippets. For example, it can turn plain-English descriptions (“create a login form”) into actual working code, saving programmers tons of time.
You might be wondering, does Grammarly use generative AI? And what about Google’s Gemini?
Yes! Grammarly uses generative AI to suggest writing improvements, rephrasing, and to catch grammar mistakes in real-time. Google’s Gemini is also a generative AI model, enhancing how we search and interact with information online by providing detailed, conversational responses and content suggestions.
Generative AI is more integrated into our daily lives than you might realize!
How Does Generative AI Work?
Generative AI might sound super technical, but at its core, it follows a process that’s pretty easy to understand.
Most generative AI tools are built using deep learning, especially models called transformers (used for text and language) and diffusion models (commonly used for images).
Transformers for Text and Language
Transformers are a type of deep learning model that have revolutionized natural language processing tasks. They excel at understanding context and generating coherent text, making them foundational to many generative AI applications.
Diffusion Models for Images
Diffusion models generate data by starting with random noise and gradually refining it into coherent outputs, such as images. They have become prominent in tasks like image synthesis and editing.
Here’s a simplified breakdown of how it works:
- Training on massive datasets
The AI is trained using huge amounts of data, think books, websites, images, audio files, you name it. The more diverse the data, the better the AI becomes at understanding how different types of content work. - Learning patterns and structures
Over time, the AI starts to recognize patterns, like how a sentence is formed, what makes a picture of a cat look like a cat, or how code snippets are usually written. - Generating new content
Once trained, the AI can take a prompt from you and generate something entirely new. For example, you could ask it to write a poem, summarize an article, design a logo, or even sketch a cute cat it all depends on the tool and the prompt you give it.
It’s kind of like giving the AI a ton of examples, letting it study them deeply, and then saying, “Okay, now make something similar, but new.”
What Can Generative AI Do?
The possibilities are growing fast and so is the list of companies using generative AI in creative ways. Here’s how it’s being used today:
- Writing
Tools like Jasper and Notion AI help marketers and creators draft blog posts, emails, product descriptions, and social captions. Even Grammarly uses generative AI to rephrase and improve clarity. - Designing
Platforms like Canva and Looka offer AI-powered tools to generate logo ideas, brand kits, and visual designs. Adobe Firefly also lets users create images and design elements from text prompts. - Marketing
Marketers are using generative AI to automate ad copy, create A/B test variations, and even build entire campaign strategies.
Tools like Copy.ai, Writer, and HubSpot’s Content Assistant use AI to generate email sequences, landing page content, and targeted messaging in minutes. - Coding
GitHub Copilot, powered by OpenAI, helps developers write code faster by suggesting whole lines or functions as they type. Replit is another platform using AI to assist beginners and pros alike in coding projects. - Video & Audio
Runway ML offers AI video editing and generation. Descript uses AI for podcast editing, including voice cloning and transcript-based editing. And ElevenLabs is known for generating realistic AI voiceovers. - Education
Khan Academy’s Khanmigo is an AI tutor built on ChatGPT, designed to help students understand lessons, practice skills, and get feedback. Quizlet also uses generative AI to automatically create study sets and quizzes.
Generative AI in Everyday Life
You might be using generative AI without even realizing it. It’s already woven into a lot of the tools we use daily:
- Gmail’s Smart Reply: Those quick auto-suggestions when you’re replying to emails? Yup, powered by generative AI.
- Instagram Filters: Some filters don’t just enhance photos—they generate entire backgrounds or visual effects on the spot.
- Spotify Playlists: Ever feel like your Discover Weekly just gets you? That’s generative AI analyzing your listening patterns to create personalized playlists.
As these tools become more user-friendly, generative AI isn’t just for developers or big tech companies anymore. It’s for all of us.
If you’re just getting started with AI, check out our beginner guide: How AI Works: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Artificial Intelligence
What Are the Benefits of Generative AI?
Whether you’re a busy marketer, a small business owner, or just someone who creates a lot of content, generative AI offers some powerful perks:
- Speed & Efficiency
Need a blog draft, social caption, or design idea fast? Generative AI can give you a solid starting point in seconds. - Accessibility
You don’t need to be a pro designer, writer, or coder to create something great. These tools are user-friendly and built for non-experts too. - Inspiration
Stuck staring at a blank screen? AI can help you break creative blocks and spark new ideas you might not have thought of. - Personalization
Whether you’re customizing an email, social post, or product recommendation, generative AI can help tailor content to your specific audience or tone.
It’s like having a creative assistant who never gets tired and works at lightning speed.
What Are the Concerns?
As exciting as generative AI is, it also comes with a few valid concerns worth keeping in mind:
- Accuracy
AI-generated content can sometimes be wrong or misleading. It’s important to fact-check and review anything before publishing. - Bias
Because AI learns from existing data, it can reflect biases, both subtle and obvious—that are present in that data. - Originality
While AI creates new content, there’s a chance it might closely resemble existing works, raising copyright or plagiarism concerns. - Job Impact
Some worry that AI could replace creative jobs. But in many cases, it’s being used as a tool to support—not replace—human creativity.
Final Thoughts: Should You Use Generative AI?
If you’re even a little curious about generative AI, the best thing you can do is try it for yourself. Whether you’re writing, designing, coding, or just experimenting, these tools can seriously boost your creativity and productivity.
You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to be willing to explore.
Understanding how it works is the first step to using it responsibly and creatively.
Want to see how I use AI in my own routine? Read: My Weekly AI Workflow: How I Balance Projects, Blogging & Job Hunting Using ChatGPT.
Coming Soon on HowSheAI.com
- My favorite free generative AI tools for beginners
- How I use generative AI to brainstorm and outline blog posts
- A beginner’s guide to prompt engineering (how to talk to AI)
