AI TRAINING
AI Glossary for SME Owners: Plain Language Foundations
Walk away with a confident grasp of 30 essential AI terms, each anchored to a real SME example.
What it covers
This short self-paced module demystifies the 30 AI terms SME owners encounter most — from 'large language model' to 'training data' — using plain language and one concrete small-business example per term. Participants receive a printable A4 reference card they can keep at their desk or share with their team. By the end, owners can hold informed conversations with vendors, evaluate AI tools critically, and avoid being misled by buzzwords. No prior technical knowledge is required.
What you'll be able to do
- Define and correctly use at least 25 of the 30 core AI terms without referring to notes
- Explain to a colleague what a large language model does, using a business analogy
- Identify which AI vendor claims are meaningful versus marketing fluff during a sales call
- Apply the printable reference card to evaluate one real AI tool relevant to your business
- Recognise basic data privacy considerations (GDPR) before signing an AI vendor contract
Topics covered
- Core AI vocabulary: model, algorithm, training data, inference
- Generative AI basics: LLMs, prompts, tokens, hallucination
- Automation concepts: RPA, workflow automation, AI agents
- Data concepts: dataset, structured vs unstructured data, bias
- Practical SME tool categories: chatbots, copilots, no-code AI
- Vendor and contract terms: API, SaaS AI, fine-tuning, pilot
- Risk and ethics basics: GDPR relevance, data privacy, AI risk
- Printable 30-term reference card with SME examples
Delivery
Fully remote and self-paced; accessible on desktop or mobile with no software install required. Estimated completion time is 2–4 hours depending on reading pace. Includes short knowledge-check quizzes after every five terms, one SME scenario example per term, and a downloadable/printable A4 reference card. Approximately 80% reading and video micro-lessons, 20% interactive quizzes. Participants can pause and resume freely.
What makes it work
- Completing the module in focused 30-minute blocks rather than all at once improves retention
- Printing and posting the reference card in a visible workspace reinforces daily vocabulary use
- Immediately applying one or two terms during a real vendor or team conversation within a week of completion
- Sharing the reference card with a small team to create a shared language for AI discussions
Common mistakes
- Skipping foundational vocabulary and then making poor AI tool purchasing decisions based on vendor buzzwords
- Conflating 'AI' with 'automation' and misunderstanding what a chosen tool can actually do
- Ignoring GDPR implications when feeding customer data into a third-party AI tool
- Assuming all AI tools are interchangeable because they share similar-sounding names
When NOT to take this
If a participant already works daily with AI tools, writes prompts, or has attended any prior AI literacy training, this module will be too elementary — they should start at literacy or practitioner level instead.
Providers to consider
Sources
This training is part of a Data & AI catalog built for leaders serious about execution. Take the free diagnostic to see which trainings your team needs.