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.
539 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 · October 2026
New in the AI Dictionary
Fresh language for the newest shifts in AI, explained without the jargon.
WebAI
a proposed web standard and set of browser APIs that let websites and extensions use artificial intelligence models running locally on a user's device instead of sending each request to a cloud AI service
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agent authorization
the security policies and enforcement controls that determine which tools, data, systems, and actions an AI agent is permitted to use, often evaluating permission separately for each action during a task
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rules file backdoor
a prompt-injection and software-supply-chain attack in which malicious instructions are placed in a rule, configuration, or repository file that an AI coding assistant automatically reads, causing the assistant to change code, run commands, expose secrets, or weaken safeguards without the developer's intended authorization
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AI divide
the widening gap between people, organizations, or countries that can access, use, build, and influence advanced AI systems and those limited by a lack of computing infrastructure, data, skills, money, connectivity, language support, or decision-making power
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