AI Vocabulary · 02 AI Infrastructure
What is Edge Computing?
Computing in small sites or devices close to where data is created and used, such as factories, shops, vehicles or phones.
In edge computing, processing happens near sensors, machines or users. The US standards institute NIST describes edge computing as running specific applications at a fixed location close to devices, and fog computing as a layer of computing resources between end devices and the central cloud.
For AI, the edge means small models on a factory server, in a vehicle or on a phone, with answers in milliseconds and data that stays on site. Large models run in central data centres.
Why it matters for you
Edge AI cuts latency and keeps sensitive data where it is created. That helps with real-time control, retail, healthcare and places with weak connections.
Own it
Check whether a small language model is good enough for your task. Then it can run at the edge or as local AI, often on the NPU of an ordinary device.
Where it comes from
The definitions come from NIST, Fog Computing Conceptual Model, SP 500-325 (March 2018).
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