Encoder-only Models (BERT)
BERT is built to understand text, not to write long responses. Let's see what that means.
Understanding, not writing
BERT is an encoder-only transformer model. Its main job is to understand text, not generate new sentences. That makes it great for reading, classifying, and searching.
Understand vs Generate
There are two very different jobs. In Understand mode, read a sentence and work out its feeling. In Generate mode, try to write the next words. Feel the difference first - then we'll reveal which side BERT lives on.
The encoder understands the meaning.
Click a task to see it in action
Writing is a different job
Not ideal - BERT doesn't create long text.
Not designed for this task.
BERT reads the entire input to understand it. It does not generate text token by token like GPT.
Where encoder-only models shine
Tap a card to see what BERT-style models do there.
- • BERT uses only an encoder.
- • BERT is built to understand text.
- • BERT is excellent for classification and search.
- • BERT is not designed for long-form text generation.
- • Understanding and generation are different tasks.
BERT focuses on understanding text. It is one of the best choices when an AI application needs to analyze or classify information instead of generating new content.