Generative AI refers to AI systems that produce new content — text, images, audio, video, code — rather than just classifying or analyzing existing content. LLMs, image generators like Stable Diffusion and DALL·E, and audio synthesis models are all generative AI.
The "generative" distinction matters for product design: these tools create artifacts that require human review and judgment, unlike a spam filter that returns a yes/no. Generative AI capabilities are expanding faster than governance norms, creating product opportunities and compliance risks for companies that deploy them in regulated industries.