Beginner
What is an LLM?
Large language models power ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. Here is what the term actually means.
AI HQ Editorial4 min read
Large, language, model
LLM stands for large language model. 'Large' refers to the size of the model and its training data. 'Language' means it works with text, though most modern LLMs also accept images and audio. 'Model' is the trained program itself.
The chat apps you use are interfaces on top of an LLM: ChatGPT sits on OpenAI's GPT models, Claude on Anthropic's Claude models, Gemini on Google's Gemini models.
Tokens: the unit everything is measured in
LLMs read and write in tokens, chunks of text roughly three-quarters of a word long. Prices are quoted per million tokens, context windows are measured in tokens, and speed is tokens per second. Our pricing guide explains how that turns into a bill.
