GAIL · LESSON 1
Section 1: Fundamentals of generative AI約30% · 6 topics
Learn the key concepts of generative AI, machine learning methods and the ML lifecycle, choosing foundation models, data types and quality, the layers of generative AI, and Google's foundation models.
1.1Key concepts of generative AI
Key concepts of generative AI (AI, natural language processing, machine learning, generative AI, foundation models, multimodal, diffusion models, LLMs, prompt engineering, prompt tuning)
Concept
AI is the umbrella term for technology that has machines do intellectual work; machine learning is AI that learns from data, and natural language processing is the field that handles human language. Generative AI creates new text, images, code and more; a foundation model is a large model pretrained on vast data that can adapt to many tasks. An LLM is a language foundation model, multimodal means handling several kinds of data, and diffusion models are a main approach to image generation. Prompt engineering is crafting instructions; prompt tuning learns a small number of parameters (soft prompts) to adjust output.
How it works / steps
- Organize the relationship AI ⊃ machine learning ⊃ deep learning ⊃ generative AI
- Be able to explain how foundation models, LLMs and multimodal differ
- Distinguish prompt engineering from prompt tuning
Workplace example
At a management meeting, explain generative AI as “AI that creates new documents and images from existing data” and a foundation model as “a general-purpose base usable for many purposes.”
Common confusions and exam tips
- Prompt tuning trains part of the model's parameters (soft prompts); it is not hand-crafting prompts
- Diffusion models are mainly for image and video generation
- An LLM is a kind of foundation model
Mini quiz
Q1. Which best describes natural language processing (NLP)?
- The AI field that finds objects in images and video and judges their position and type
- The AI field that lets computers understand and generate human language
- The security field that detects unauthorized network intrusion and blocks it automatically
- The statistics field that predicts future figures such as sales from tabular numeric data
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B The AI field that lets computers understand and generate human language
Translation, summarization, sentiment analysis and chatbots are NLP examples. LLMs greatly advanced NLP.
Q2. Which best states the difference between prompt engineering and prompt tuning?
- Prompt engineering retrains all model parameters; prompt tuning only rewrites the instruction text
- Prompt engineering is only for image generation; prompt tuning is only for text generation
- The former crafts how instructions are written; the latter trains a small number of extra parameters
- Both retrain model weights from scratch, differing only in the amount of training data
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C The former crafts how instructions are written; the latter trains a small number of extra parameters
Prompt tuning keeps the model's own weights fixed and trains only a few vectors called soft prompts, an efficient customization method.
Reference links
1.2Machine learning methods and the ML lifecycle
Machine learning methods (supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement learning), the ML lifecycle (data ingestion, preparation, training, deployment, management) and Google Cloud tools for each stage
Concept
Machine learning methods include supervised learning from labeled data (classification, regression), unsupervised learning that finds structure in unlabeled data (clustering), and reinforcement learning from rewards. The ML lifecycle is data ingestion → data preparation → training → deployment → management (monitoring, retraining). On Google Cloud, use Pub/Sub and Cloud Storage for ingestion, BigQuery and Dataflow for preparation, Agent Platform (formerly Vertex AI) for training and deployment, and Model Registry and model monitoring for management.
How it works / steps
- Choose a learning method that fits the problem
- Map services to each lifecycle stage
- Plan through monitoring and retraining after deployment
Workplace example
For retail demand forecasting, gather sales data in BigQuery and preprocess it, train and deploy on Agent Platform, and monitor for accuracy drops.
Common confusions and exam tips
- Classification and regression are supervised; clustering is unsupervised
- The lifecycle doesn't end at deployment; management (monitoring) continues
- Use Pub/Sub for streaming ingestion
Mini quiz
Q1. A retailer wants to find why customer satisfaction is falling. Which use of gen AI best combines structured and unstructured data?
- Analyze the purchase history table together with inquiry email text, and summarize trends in complaints
- Aggregate the purchase table in BigQuery and chart spending trends of unhappy customers
- Summarize inquiry emails with gen AI and report a list of the most frequent topics
- Use the survey score table to predict low-scoring stores with regression
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A Analyze the purchase history table together with inquiry email text, and summarize trends in complaints
Generative AI understands unstructured data, so analysis combining it with structured data is highly valuable. [Other options] Table-only aggregation or regression, or email-only summaries, use just one kind of data.
Q2. Which is the best example of reinforcement learning used in generative AI?
- Using human ratings as rewards to tune LLM answers to be helpful and safe
- Grouping unlabeled text by similar topics
- Filling missing values in tabular data with the average
- Labeling images “cat” or “dog” to train a classification model
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A Using human ratings as rewards to tune LLM answers to be helpful and safe
RLHF (reinforcement learning from human feedback) is used to tune LLMs.
Reference links
1.3Choosing a foundation model for the work
Choosing a foundation model for the work (modality, context window, security, availability, cost, performance, fine-tuning) and use cases for creating, summarizing, discovering and automating
Concept
Choose a foundation model by modality (text, image, audio, video), context window (how much it handles at once), security, availability and reliability, cost, performance, and whether it can be fine-tuned. Generative AI use cases can be grouped into creating (generating text and images), summarizing, discovering (search, information extraction) and automating (routine work).
How it works / steps
- Sort the use case into create, summarize, discover or automate
- Check the needed modalities and context length
- Set priorities among cost, speed and quality and compare models
Workplace example
To summarize contracts hundreds of pages long, choose a model with a long context window; to classify large volumes of short inquiries, choose a light, cheap model.
Common confusions and exam tips
- The highest-performing model isn't always best (cost and speed)
- Long documents need a large context window
- Data handling and regulatory requirements also affect model choice
Mini quiz
Q1. At a board meeting you explain gen AI's impact on the business. Using the exam guide's create/summarize/discover/automate view, which explanation is most appropriate?
- Impact is mostly limited to IT development efficiency; other departments can keep working as before
- Use of unstructured data such as documents and images grows, affecting productivity and customer experience in every department
- The main effect is faster aggregation of tabular data; impact on sales or HR document work is small
- The main value is headcount reduction, replacing human judgment starting with routine work
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B Use of unstructured data such as documents and images grows, affecting productivity and customer experience in every department
Generative AI is used across every department for creating, summarizing, discovering and automating. [Other options] Gen AI's value reaches every department, not just tabular aggregation or IT, and centers on transforming work by creating, summarizing, discovering and automating rather than replacing people.
Q2. What is the most appropriate advantage of a model with a large context window?
- Answers are always shorter, and usage fees automatically drop
- Hallucinations stop entirely, so checking is unnecessary
- It always knows information newer than its training data without outside search
- It can take long documents or many materials at once and answer with the whole in view
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D It can take long documents or many materials at once and answer with the whole in view
The context window is the amount of tokens handled at once. Larger handles longer input, but fees and response time can rise.
Reference links
1.4Data types and quality
Data types (structured/unstructured, labeled/unlabeled) and data quality and accessibility (completeness, consistency, relevance, availability, cost, format)
Concept
Data includes structured data with a fixed format like tables, and unstructured data like text, images and audio. For training there is labeled data with answers and unlabeled data. AI quality depends on data quality: check completeness (no gaps), consistency, relevance, availability (whether it's usable), cost and format.
How it works / steps
- Check what types of data are available and where they are
- Evaluate data from quality viewpoints (completeness, consistency, relevance)
- Arrange access permissions and format so the data is usable
Workplace example
For inquiry analysis, combine structured CRM data with unstructured email bodies, and clean up duplicates and gaps before use.
Common confusions and exam tips
- Generative AI broadened the use of unstructured data
- Even lots of data won't yield results if quality is low
- Labeling costs money
Mini quiz
Q1. You have many scanned PDFs of paper contracts and want to search clauses with gen AI. From the data format viewpoint, what should you consider first?
- Contracts are structured data, so they must be re-entered into tables before use
- Volume matters more than format, so first collect every contract and check quality later
- Multimodal models can read scans, so skip format considerations
- Images are hard to search, so estimate the effort and cost of extracting or converting text
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D Images are hard to search, so estimate the effort and cost of extracting or converting text
The cost of format conversion and arranging access is also part of the data quality and accessibility viewpoint. [Other options] Even if multimodal models can read them, searching at scale may need text extraction (e.g. Document AI). Contracts are unstructured data. More volume doesn't fix the format problem.
Q2. Which is the most appropriate business challenge in creating labeled data?
- Assigning answers takes time and money, and inconsistent criteria hurt quality
- Labeling always cuts the amount of data in half
- Labeling work doesn't affect data quality
- Labeled data can't be used in generative AI at all
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A Assigning answers takes time and money, and inconsistent criteria hurt quality
Label quality and consistency drive model performance. Documenting criteria and checking are important.
Reference links
1.5Layers of generative AI
Layers of generative AI (infrastructure, model, platform, agents, application)
Concept
Generative AI can be organized into layers: infrastructure (compute such as TPUs and GPUs), model (foundation models), platform (a base for using, tuning and managing models: Agent Platform), agents (AI that does work using tools) and application (products users use: Gemini app, Gemini Enterprise, etc.). Deciding which layers to build in-house and which to use is a strategic call.
How it works / steps
- Identify which layer your effort falls in
- Lower layers give more freedom but need expertise and cost
- Most companies start from the application and agent layers
Workplace example
To raise sales productivity, first roll out Gemini for Google Workspace at the application layer, then develop agents at the platform layer for unique work.
Common confusions and exam tips
- Don't confuse the platform and application layers
- Agents are the layer that moves work forward autonomously
- Few companies own the infrastructure layer themselves
Mini quiz
Q1. You are designing a system that takes an inquiry, checks inventory and places an order if needed. Which gen AI layer is mainly required?
- Agents (use tools and data to carry out multiple steps autonomously)
- Applications (provide the screens and features users operate)
- Models (pretrained on large data to generate text and more)
- Platforms (provide the base for using, tuning and managing models)
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A Agents (use tools and data to carry out multiple steps autonomously)
Agents combine a model's reasoning ability with tools, acting toward achieving a goal. [Other options] Applications are the user touchpoint, platforms the base for development and management, and models the core of inference. Carrying out steps with tools is the agent's role.
Q2. What is the most appropriate advantage of choosing an application-layer generative AI product?
- You can start using it at work right away with no development
- You can freely choose the model's training data
- You can design the computing hardware yourself
- You can freely rewrite the model's weights
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A You can start using it at work right away with no development
Applications (Gemini app, Gemini in Workspace, etc.) are ready to use, with less freedom to customize.
Reference links
1.6Google's foundation models
Uses and strengths of Google's foundation models (Gemini, Gemma, Imagen, Veo)
Concept
Gemini is Google's flagship multimodal foundation model, handling text, images, audio, video and code. Gemma is a lightweight open model you can run and customize in your own environment. Imagen generates images from text, and Veo generates video.
How it works / steps
- Choose a model that fits the use (understanding, generation, images, video)
- Consider Gemma to run in your own environment or customize
- Images are Imagen; video is Veo
Workplace example
Draft a product introduction video with Veo, generate website images with Imagen, and use Gemini for handling inquiries.
Common confusions and exam tips
- Gemma is an open model; Gemini is provided as a managed service
- Imagen is images; Veo is video
- Gemini is multimodal, not a text-only model
Mini quiz
Q1. Which is the most appropriate reason to choose Gemma?
- It specializes in image generation, and using it always requires a Google Workspace contract
- It specializes in video generation and can't be used for text
- It's the largest of all Google's models and gives top accuracy on any task
- Its weights are published, making it easy to run and customize in your own environment
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D Its weights are published, making it easy to run and customize in your own environment
Gemma is a lightweight open model, suited to environments where data can't leave and to edge use.
Q2. Which best describes the TPU?
- A processor Google designed itself for AI
- An admin screen for humans to evaluate generative AI output
- A dedicated API for translating Gemini's answers
- Storage for saving Google Workspace documents
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A A processor Google designed itself for AI
TPU (Tensor Processing Unit). One of the components of AI Hypercomputer.
Reference links
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