Decoder. plain-English AI glossary

Model card

▲ Rising

A short spec sheet for a model — what it’s for, what it was trained on, and where it falls down.

Think of it like

The nutrition label on food: not the meal, but what you should know before consuming it.

Example

Before adopting a model, a team reads its model card for the license, known limitations, and eval scores.

How it actually works

A model card documents intended use, training data at a high level, evaluation results, and known risks or biases. It’s a transparency and governance artifact more than a technical one. Quality varies wildly, but it’s the first thing to check before you build on something.

For product teams

Your first due-diligence read — license, intended use, and stated limits can make or break adoption.

For engineers

Structured documentation of a model’s scope, data, metrics, and limitations, per the model-cards convention.

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