Large Language Model

Also called LLM and Foundation Model

An AI model trained on very large amounts of text to predict what comes next in a sequence, which lets it write, summarise, translate, answer questions and generate code. It is the engine behind assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

Why it matters

Most new software products now use a language model somewhere, usually rented from a provider through an API rather than built. Knowing what they do well, what they get wrong (they can state false things confidently), and what each call costs shapes what you can build and what your margins look like.

For example

A legal-tech startup sends contracts to a language model through an API to draft a first summary, then has a lawyer check every summary before it goes to a client.

Go deeper

Related terms

Also in Starting Up

See how founders actually handle this on Building the product, part of the Starting Up hub.

eChai Partner Brands The partnership →