Multimodal AI
Definition AI systems that can process and generate more than one type of data—such as text, images, audio, and video—within a single model. A multimodal model can, for example, describe a photograph or read a scanned document.
In more depth
Earlier AI models handled one data type at a time; multimodal models accept mixed input and can reason across formats, such as answering questions about a chart or extracting terms from a scanned exhibit. Major commercial AI assistants are now multimodal by default. For legal work this enables direct analysis of discovery images, recorded audio, and scanned filings, though accuracy on poor-quality scans and handwriting still calls for human checking.
Related terms
Educational information, not legal advice. AI terminology and tools change quickly; definitions reflect usage as of the last-updated date. For what bar associations and courts actually require of lawyers using AI, see legalaicompliance.help and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.