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What is Natural Language Processing (NLP) (NLP)?
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is the field of artificial intelligence focused on how computers read, interpret, and produce human language. It acts as a bridge between the way humans communicate and the way machines process data. By breaking down sentences into smaller parts, the system identifies meaning, sentiment, and intent. This allows software to move beyond simple keyword matching to understand the context of a request. It powers everything from basic grammar checkers and email spam filters to complex systems that translate languages in real time or summarize lengthy legal documents.
Why this matters to you
Understanding this term helps you identify which AI tools can handle text or voice tasks. It is the core technology behind the software that reads your emails, transcribes your meetings, and answers your questions. Knowing that a tool uses Natural Language Processing tells you that it is designed to handle the nuances of human communication rather than just following rigid, pre-programmed rules.
How you might hear this
"Our new project management software uses Natural Language Processing to scan meeting transcripts and automatically create a list of action items for the team."
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