Compute

Friendly Description: Compute is just a short way of saying "computer power," the energy and processing muscle it takes to train or run an AI. Think of it like horsepower for an AI engine. The bigger the model and the harder the task, the more compute it needs, the same way driving a heavy truck up a steep hill takes more fuel than coasting downhill in a small car.

Example: Training a state-of-the-art AI model can require thousands of specialized computer chips running for weeks. That huge amount of compute is one reason AI development is expensive, and why companies are always looking for ways to do more with less.