Comment by moritzwarhier

How would you call something like Claude or ChatGPT then, or even some image classifier from 20 years ago?

Just answering because I first wanted to write "software" or whatever.

I used to find gamers calling their PC "machine" hilarious.

However, it is a machine.

And for AI chatbots, I used the word for lack of a better term.

"Software" or "program" seems to also omit the most important part, the constantly evolving and intransparent data that comprises the machine...

The alogorithm is not the most important thing AFAIK, neither is one specific part of training or a huge chunk of static embedded data.

So "machine" seems like a good term to describe a complex industrial process usable as a product.

In a broad sense, I'd call companies "machines" as well.

So if the cringe makes you feel bad, use any word you like instead :D