Plain English
Fine-tuning
Extra training that adapts an existing model to a particular task, format or tone.
Training an existing model further on a set of your own examples so it picks up a particular task, format or tone. It changes the model itself, unlike the instructions and documents you give it in a chat.
Why it matters
It’s rarely the first step for a small business: it needs good data, money and upkeep. Try custom instructions, examples and RAG first.
At work
A firm with thousands of past support replies could fine-tune a model to match its format, though clear instructions and a few examples usually get most of the way first.
Think of it like sending a trained chef on a short course in your cuisine: same skills, new specialty.
Related terms
Where it appears