OpenAI – ChatGPT
If you’ve tried “chatting” with an AI, there’s a good chance it was ChatGPT.
- Who they are: OpenAI is the company that really pushed AI into the spotlight in 2022.
- What they do: They build AI tools that feel a bit like an assistant you can message.
- What you might notice: Things like “Custom GPTs” (versions of ChatGPT tailored for specific tasks) and newer models such as GPT 5.1, which aim to be faster, more accurate and better at following instructions.
Anthropic – Claude
You may not have heard of Anthropic, but you might hear about Claude, their AI assistant.
- Who they are: A company focused on making AI that is reliable and safe to use.
- What they do: Their AI (Claude) is popular with businesses and developers because it’s designed to be predictable and careful with sensitive information.
- Behind the scenes: They also created a standard called MCP (you don’t need to remember the name!) that helps AI connect more easily to other software and tools people already use.
Google – Gemini
If you use Google, Android phones, or Chrome, you’re already close to Gemini.
- Who they are: Google, the search engine company we all know.
- What they do: Gemini is Google’s AI “family” that shows up in things like AI-powered search, Android features, and tools such as NotebookLM that help summarise and organise information.
- Fun fact: Gemini used to be called Bard, so you might still see that name around.
Meta – Llama
Meta (the company behind Facebook) works a bit differently with its AI.
- Who they are: Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more.
- What they do: Their AI is called Llama (currently at version 4). It helps power AI features across their apps and even appears in things like smart glasses.
- Why it matters: Llama is open source, which basically means developers can use it for free to build their own AI tools. That’s helping AI spread into lots of different apps and services.
Honourable Mentions
Microsoft – Copilot
If you spend your day in Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, or Windows, you’ll likely run into Copilot.
- Who they are: Microsoft, the company behind Windows.
- What they do: Instead of building only its own AI model, Microsoft often uses models from companies like OpenAI and then weaves them directly into everyday software.
- What you see: Copilot can help write emails, summarise meetings, draft documents, and analyse spreadsheets right where you’re already working.
NVIDIA
You might not see NVIDIA’s name on the AI tools you use, but it’s everywhere behind the scenes.
- Who they are: A company famous for powerful computer chips (originally for gaming).
- What they do: Their chips now run many of the world’s biggest AI systems.
- Why it matters: Without this kind of hardware, the AI tools we’re talking about simply wouldn’t be able to run at the speed and scale we expect.
What’s Next?
Next week we’ll explore “AI Explainer: Know Your Terminology” – a plain-English guide to common AI terms (like “model”, “prompt”, “training data”, and more), so the jargon starts to feel a bit less intimidating.
If you’d like to talk about how this could benefit your business, we’d be happy to help.