Stanford
University
  • Stanford Home
  • Maps & Directions
  • Search Stanford
  • Emergency Info
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Trademarks
  • Non-Discrimination
  • Accessibility
© Stanford University.  Stanford, California 94305.
What is a Foundation Model? An Explainer for Non-Experts | Stanford HAI

Stay Up To Date

Get the latest news, advances in research, policy work, and education program updates from HAI in your inbox weekly.

Sign Up For Latest News

Navigate
  • About
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Search
Participate
  • Get Involved
  • Support HAI
  • Contact Us
Skip to content
  • About

    • About
    • People
    • Get Involved with HAI
    • Support HAI
    • Subscribe to Email
  • Research

    • Research
    • Fellowship Programs
    • Grants
    • Student Affinity Groups
    • Centers & Labs
    • Research Publications
    • Research Partners
  • Education

    • Education
    • Executive and Professional Education
    • Government and Policymakers
    • K-12
    • Stanford Students
  • Policy

    • Policy
    • Policy Publications
    • Policymaker Education
    • Student Opportunities
  • AI Index

    • AI Index
    • AI Index Report
    • Global Vibrancy Tool
    • People
  • News
  • Events
  • Industry
  • Centers & Labs
news

What is a Foundation Model? An Explainer for Non-Experts

Date
May 10, 2023
Topics
Natural Language Processing
Machine Learning

These powerful machine learning algorithms sit at the core of many generative AI tools today.

New advancements in AI are transforming many aspects of our society. At the forefront of this development are powerful machine learning algorithms known as foundation models. 

The deployment of these models are on the rise, leading to unprecedented adoption across many industries without any guardrails. The generative tools powered by this technology have now captured people’s imagination, but not necessarily public understanding. 

Here, Stanford HAI and the Center for Research on Foundation Models scholars explain what this technology is and its potential impact in this video designed for non-experts.

Stanford HAI’s mission is to advance AI research, education, policy and practice to improve the human condition. Learn more. 

Share
Link copied to clipboard!
Authors
  • headshot
    Jeanina Matias

Related News

AI Leaders Discuss How To Foster Responsible Innovation At TIME100 Roundtable In Davos
TIME
Jan 21, 2026
Media Mention

HAI Senior Fellow Yejin Choi discussed responsible AI model training at Davos, asking, “What if there could be an alternative form of intelligence that really learns … morals, human values from the get-go, as opposed to just training LLMs on the entirety of the internet, which actually includes the worst part of humanity, and then we then try to patch things up by doing ‘alignment’?” 

Media Mention
Your browser does not support the video tag.

AI Leaders Discuss How To Foster Responsible Innovation At TIME100 Roundtable In Davos

TIME
Ethics, Equity, InclusionGenerative AIMachine LearningNatural Language ProcessingJan 21

HAI Senior Fellow Yejin Choi discussed responsible AI model training at Davos, asking, “What if there could be an alternative form of intelligence that really learns … morals, human values from the get-go, as opposed to just training LLMs on the entirety of the internet, which actually includes the worst part of humanity, and then we then try to patch things up by doing ‘alignment’?” 

Stanford’s Yejin Choi & Axios’ Ina Fried
Axios
Jan 19, 2026
Media Mention

Axios chief technology correspondent Ina Fried speaks to HAI Senior Fellow Yejin Choi at Axios House in Davos during the World Economic Forum.

Media Mention
Your browser does not support the video tag.

Stanford’s Yejin Choi & Axios’ Ina Fried

Axios
Energy, EnvironmentMachine LearningGenerative AIEthics, Equity, InclusionJan 19

Axios chief technology correspondent Ina Fried speaks to HAI Senior Fellow Yejin Choi at Axios House in Davos during the World Economic Forum.

Spatial Intelligence Is AI’s Next Frontier
TIME
Dec 11, 2025
Media Mention

"This is AI’s next frontier, and why 2025 was such a pivotal year," writes HAI Co-Director Fei-Fei Li.

Media Mention
Your browser does not support the video tag.

Spatial Intelligence Is AI’s Next Frontier

TIME
Computer VisionMachine LearningGenerative AIDec 11

"This is AI’s next frontier, and why 2025 was such a pivotal year," writes HAI Co-Director Fei-Fei Li.