Generative AI products and services, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Alphabet’s Gemini, and Microsoft’s Copilot, have sparked substantial interest in the private and public sectors. Organisations are already experimenting with integrated AI services provided by big tech firms, as well as custom procurements from smaller software companies. In the absence of comprehensive AI regulation in Australia, deploying these systems in a responsible, ethical and legally compliant way demands a deep understanding of how they function and the legal and ethical challenges they raise.

But generative AI (GenAI) is not simple. AI software systems are diverse and rely on complex supply chains and data flows. Coming to grips with the technical, operational and regulatory vocabularies that have emerged around GenAI is a considerable challenge.

To help entities interested in GenAI deployments, this publication outlines 42 concepts fundamental to AI software systems. Each concept is illustrated through descriptions, examples and real-world use cases, with accessible language and visual elements to accommodate a diverse range of stakeholders and readerships.