Continuously updated · AI Dictionary
The language of AI,
clearly defined.
A field guide to the words changing how we build, work and think—from token and transformer to AI agents and vibe coding.
577 terms
10 topics
1847–2026 timeline
Built as a living reference
Clear words. Useful context.
01
Plain English firstThe definition comes before the jargon.
02
Usage over hypeEstablished meanings are separated from new or informal ones.
03
Show the trailSources appear on entries as they are reviewed.
Latest update · November 2026
New in the AI Dictionary
Fresh language for the newest shifts in AI, explained without the jargon.
hybrid reasoning model
a language model that can answer in a fast direct mode or use a more deliberate reasoning mode, with the mode selected by the user, an API setting, or the model itself to balance answer quality against tokens, latency, and cost
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data center backlash
organized public, political, or regulatory opposition to the rapid construction of large data centers, especially facilities built for AI, over concerns such as electricity demand, water use, noise, land use, utility rates, tax incentives, and local control
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bounded authority
a security principle under which an AI agent receives only explicitly scoped and enforceable power to perform particular actions for a limited task, time, resource, or budget, without access to broader credentials or the ability to expand that power through delegation
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token waste
model input or output tokens that consume money, time, context capacity, or computing resources without materially improving the result of an AI task
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