General Purpose AI

AI systems capable of performing a wide range of tasks across different domains, rather than being designed for one specific application. Large language models are the most prominent current example of GPAI, able to write, reason, code, summarize, and converse without being purpose-built for any single task. The term carries regulatory weight in the EU AI act, which imposes specific transparency and risk obligations on GPAI providers.
See also: foundation model, large language model, EU AI act.