JARGON
AI is full of impressive-sounding words, many of which are used by people trying to sell you something expensive before lunch. Here is what some of them mean in Lentil terms.
Sovereign AI
AI you can control more directly, instead of depending entirely on distant platforms, closed systems or someone else's rules.
Local AI
AI that can run close to you: on your own machine, your own server, your own organisation's systems or your own community infrastructure.
Ethical AI
AI designed with consequences in mind: privacy, consent, access, fairness, human oversight and the right not to be quietly squashed by a machine.
Green AI
AI that takes energy use, hardware, hosting and environmental impact seriously.
Friendly AI
AI that feels approachable, helpful and human enough to use without feeling like you are talking to a tax office printer.
Human-Centred AI
AI designed around actual people, not imaginary perfect users from a slide deck.
Voice AI
AI you can speak to, listen to, interrupt and build a relationship with over time.
Character AI
AI with a recognisable personality, tone, memory and style — not just beige assistant sludge.
Embodied AI
AI that has some kind of physical presence: a robot, object, device, installation, stage prop or strange talking cat skull.
Offline AI
AI that can still work without constant internet access, useful for privacy, resilience and places with rural broadband shaped like a damp biscuit.
Edge AI
AI that runs near where it is needed, rather than sending everything away to a giant cloud server.
AI Companions
AI systems designed for ongoing support, creativity, reflection, humour, motivation or company — without pretending to replace real humans.
Solutions
Practical help working out what AI can actually do for you, what it should not do and how to use it without losing your mind, voice or values.
AI Sovereignty
The principle that individuals, communities and organisations should have meaningful control over the AI systems that affect them — not just a licence agreement and a prayer.
Artificial General Intelligence
The theoretical point at which AI can do anything a human can do, across any domain. Currently somewhere between 'coming soon' and 'please stop saying that at conferences'.
Architecture
In AI, the underlying structure of how a system is designed and built. Not the building kind, though the metaphor of load-bearing walls occasionally applies.