If you’re a practitioner, developer, or data person, you’re probably being told to “just use AI”. But what does that actually mean?

What is “AI” really? Is it just ChatGPT, Claude, or Canva drawing pictures for you?

This talk maps out the main building blocks of modern AI. I’ll discuss models and model architecture, training, embeddings, tokens, parameters, agents, RAG, hallucinations, “agentic” systems, and a few other terms you keep hearing.

Importantly, we’ll look at how these pieces are actually put together in real systems: where they’re genuinely useful, where they’re fragile, and where they’re oversold.

You’ll come out of the talk with a solid mental picture of how these ideas connect, what’s behind the buzzwords, and enough understanding to engage in a more informed way on your won AI journey.