Plain English
Inference
A trained AI model at work: taking your input and producing an answer.
The step where a trained model takes your input and produces an output, such as a reply, a summary or an image. Training happens once, up front; inference happens every time anyone uses it.
Why it matters
Inference is what you pay for when you use AI, and where speed matters. Smaller models make it cheaper and faster, which is why they suit high-volume tasks.
At work
Each time your automation asks a model to summarize an inquiry, that’s one round of inference, and per-use pricing charges for the tokens it processes.
Think of it like training is cooking school; inference is making each dinner order.
Related terms
Where it appears