What is an LLM (large language model)
Large language models (LLMs) are AI systems trained on vast text data to generate human-like language, but they hallucinate, reflect data biases, and have knowledge cutoffs, know their strengths and limits.
The context
LLMs have exploded into public consciousness thanks to products like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok. They power chatbots, code generators, and creative tools, making AI feel conversational. But their hype often obscures flaws: they confidently make up false information (hallucinations), amplify biases from training data, and can’t access real-time info unless connected to tools. As companies race to deploy LLMs in everything from search to customer service, understanding what they are, and aren’t, is critical.
For model-by-model figures (parameters, context windows, editors), see the full list of major LLMs in 2026.