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Token
Models“TOH-kun”
2/5 · Getting there
A small chunk of text — roughly part of a word — that an AI reads and writes one piece at a time.
Lesson #3: Under the Hood: Models, Meaning & Speed →Think of it like…
Bricks in a wall: the AI doesn't see the wall, it lays one brick after another.
Everyday example
The word 'unbelievable' being handled as a few pieces, not one word.
Construction example
A long spec sheet costing more to process because it's simply more tokens.
Business example
Your AI bill going up because every chat message is priced per token.
Why this matters
Tokens are how AI is measured and billed — they explain both cost and length limits.
One-sentence summary
A token is a small chunk of text; AI reads, writes, and bills by them.
Try it yourself
Paste a page of your own writing into an AI tool and ask how many tokens it is.
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