Definition
Foundation model
A foundation model is a large model trained on broad data so it can be adapted to many downstream tasks. It can support chat, classification, extraction, coding, image generation, or agents, but still needs context, controls, evaluation, and cost discipline.
Last updated: 25 June 2026
Why it matters
It explains why one powerful model can spread through many workflows and create hidden dependency or spend.
Signals to watch
- Broad pretraining is used
- Many tasks share the same base
- Downstream adaptation changes the output