AI & DataBeginner
Multimodal
PronunciationMULL-tee-MOH-dull
Definition
Multimodal refers to AI models that can process and generate information across different types of media, such as text, images, audio, and video. Instead of being restricted to one format, these systems integrate and understand data from multiple sources simultaneously.
Where you hear it
In discussions about advanced AI capabilities, research papers, and product announcements for new foundation models.
Examples
The new model is multimodal, allowing it to analyze both a user's uploaded image and their text prompt.
We are testing a multimodal system that can generate audio descriptions from video input.
Common mistake
Thinking that multimodal means the model just switches between different specialized models; in reality, it is a single model architecture trained to handle multiple data types natively.