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Tech jargon explained in plain English — so you can decode coverage instead of scrolling past it. Tap highlighted terms in a story to open the same definitions.
180 terms · English and Khmer
Also matches: APIs · application programming interface
Application Programming Interface. A set of rules that lets software components talk to each other.
“Like a restaurant menu — it tells you what you can order but not how the kitchen makes it.”
Also matches: LLMs · large language model · large language models
Large Language Model. An AI trained on massive text datasets that can generate, translate, and summarize human language.
“Like an extremely well-read person who has skimmed millions of books — knows a lot, but doesn't always get things right.”
Also matches: transformers
A neural network architecture that processes data in parallel, forming the basis of modern large language models.
“Like a librarian who can instantly find any page in any book by understanding context, not just keywords.”
Also matches: retrieval-augmented generation · retrieval augmented generation
Retrieval-Augmented Generation. Combines a language model with a search system to ground responses in real data.
“Like giving a student access to a library during an exam — they can still think, but now they have facts to reference.”
Also matches: GPUs · graphics processing unit
Graphics Processing Unit. Originally for rendering graphics, now the workhorse chip for AI training and inference.
“Like a kitchen with 10,000 tiny chefs — each one simple, but together they can cook a thousand dishes at once.”
Also matches: fine tuning · finetuning · fine-tuned
Taking a pre-trained model and further training it on specific data to improve performance on a particular task.
“Like a chef trained in French cuisine learning Thai recipes — the base skills transfer, but the flavors change.”
Also matches: AI inference · model inference
Running a trained AI model to produce an answer or prediction — the “using it” step after training.
“Like taking an exam after months of studying — the learning is done; now you're applying what you know.”
Also matches: AI training · training a model
The process of teaching an AI model by showing it huge amounts of data so it learns patterns.
“Like drilling vocabulary every day until the words stick — expensive, slow, and you mostly do it once.”
Also matches: hallucinations · AI hallucination
When an AI confidently invents facts, citations, or details that aren't true.
“Like a student who fills exam blanks with confident-sounding nonsense instead of leaving them empty.”
Also matches: AI agents · autonomous agent · autonomous agents
An AI system that can plan steps and use tools (search, code, apps) to complete a goal, not just reply once.
“Like an assistant who doesn't only answer questions — they book the ticket, check the calendar, and follow up.”
Also matches: multi-modal · multimodality
AI that can work with more than one kind of input — text, images, audio, or video — together.
“Like a person who can read a caption and look at a photo at the same time to understand the meme.”
Also matches: embeddings · vector embedding
A numeric fingerprint of text (or images) that lets computers measure how similar two things are.
“Like plotting every idea on a map so nearby points mean related meanings — even if the words differ.”
Also matches: tokens · tokenization
A small chunk of text (often a word piece) that language models read and generate one at a time.
“Like Lego bricks for language — sentences are built by snapping bricks together, not whole paragraphs at once.”
Also matches: open-weight · open weight · open-weight model
AI model parameters released so others can download and run the model themselves — not only call an API.
“Like publishing the recipe and the ingredients list, not just selling plated meals from a locked kitchen.”
Also matches: prompts · prompting · system prompt
The instructions or question you give an AI model to steer what it generates.
“Like a briefing note for a junior writer — clearer instructions usually mean a better draft.”
Also matches: neural networks · neural net · neural nets
A computing model loosely inspired by brains: layers of simple units that learn patterns from data.
“Like a stack of filters for photos — each layer notices something simpler, and together they recognize a face.”
Also matches: deep-learning
Machine learning that uses many-layered neural networks to learn complex patterns from raw data.
“Like learning a language by immersion at every level — sounds, words, sentences — instead of only memorizing flashcards.”
Also matches: ML · machine-learning
Software that improves from examples instead of only following hand-written rules.
“Like teaching by showing many examples of spam mail instead of writing a perfect rule for every scam.”
Also matches: gen AI · genAI · generative artificial intelligence
AI that creates new content — text, images, audio, or code — rather than only classifying existing data.
“Like a studio that can draft a poster from a brief, not only sort posters into folders.”
Also matches: foundation models
A large general-purpose AI model trained broadly, then adapted for many downstream tasks.
“Like a versatile chassis you can turn into a taxi, delivery van, or ambulance with different add-ons.”
Also matches: diffusion models · image diffusion
A generative model that starts from noise and gradually reshapes it into an image (or other media).
“Like developing a photo in reverse — beginning with static and slowly revealing a clear picture.”
Also matches: CV systems
AI that interprets images and video — detecting objects, faces, text, or scenes.
“Like teaching a camera not only to record, but to say what it's looking at.”
Also matches: natural language processing
Natural Language Processing — techniques that let computers work with human language.
“Like hiring a translator between people and machines so chat, search, and docs make sense both ways.”
Also matches: RL · reinforcement-learning
Training an AI by rewarding good actions and penalizing bad ones through trial and error.
“Like learning to ride a bike — wobbly tries, small corrections, until balance becomes automatic.”
Also matches: reinforcement learning from human feedback
Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback — tuning a model using human preferences about better answers.
“Like a writing coach ranking drafts so the student learns what “good” looks like to people.”
Also matches: model parameters · billion parameters
The learned numbers inside a model that store what it picked up during training — often counted in billions.
“Like the dials on a giant mixing board — each tiny setting shapes the final sound.”
Also matches: context length · context windows
How much text (in tokens) a model can consider at once in a single conversation or prompt.
“Like a desk that only fits so many pages — add too many and older ones fall on the floor.”
Also matches: sampling temperature
A setting that controls how random or “creative” a model's next-word choices are.
“Like a spice dial — low is predictable and safe; high is surprising and sometimes messy.”
Also matches: benchmarks · AI benchmark
A standard test used to compare AI models on skills like math, coding, or language understanding.
“Like a timed exam every student takes so scores can be compared fairly.”
Also matches: synthetic datasets
Artificial training examples generated by software or AI instead of collected from the real world.
“Like practicing surgery on a mannequin — useful drills when real cases are scarce or private.”
Also matches: datasets · training data
A structured collection of examples used to train, test, or evaluate AI systems.
“Like a textbook of practice problems — the quality of the book shapes what the student learns.”
Also matches: overfit
When a model memorizes training examples too closely and fails on new, unseen cases.
“Like memorizing last year's exam answers — you ace the past paper and blank on a fresh test.”
Also matches: model bias · algorithmic bias
Systematic unfairness in model outputs, often reflecting skewed training data or design choices.
“Like a hiring form that quietly favors people who look like last year's hires.”
Also matches: alignment research · model alignment
The effort to make AI systems behave in line with human goals, values, and safety constraints.
“Like steering a powerful ship so it heads where the crew intends — not wherever the engines push.”
Also matches: artificial general intelligence
Artificial General Intelligence — hypothetical AI that can match or exceed humans across most cognitive tasks.
“Like hiring one person who can do every job in the company well — still more vision than product today.”
Also matches: AI copilot · coding copilot
An AI assistant embedded in a product to help you write, code, or work faster — usually as a sidekick, not a replacement.
“Like a navigator in the passenger seat — suggesting turns while you still hold the wheel.”
Also matches: chatbots · AI chatbot
Software that converses with users in natural language, from simple FAQs to advanced LLM assistants.
“Like a help desk that never sleeps — quality depends entirely on who trained the staff.”
Also matches: prompt engineer
Crafting instructions carefully so an AI model produces more reliable, useful outputs.
“Like briefing a contractor with clear specs — vague asks get vague builds.”
Also matches: vector DB · vector databases · vector store
A database optimized to store embeddings and find nearest neighbors by meaning, not exact keywords.
“Like a library sorted by “feels similar,” not only by alphabetical title.”
Also matches: model quantization · quantized model
Compressing a model by using fewer bits per number so it runs faster and cheaper with some accuracy trade-offs.
“Like saving a photo at lower resolution — smaller file, still recognizable, fine details soft.”
Also matches: distillation · model distillation
Training a smaller model to mimic a larger one's behavior so you get similar results at lower cost.
“Like a senior doctor teaching a junior the shortcuts — not every research paper, but the useful habits.”
Also matches: MoE · mixture-of-experts
An architecture where only some specialized sub-networks activate per input — aiming for bigger capacity without full cost every time.
“Like a hospital routing you to the right specialist instead of every doctor examining you at once.”
Also matches: jailbreaking · prompt jailbreak
Tricks that push an AI past its safety filters to produce disallowed or unintended outputs.
“Like convincing a bouncer with a fake story so they let you into the VIP area.”
Also matches: quantum computer · quantum computers
Computing that uses quantum bits (qubits) to tackle certain problems classical computers struggle with — still early for most uses.
“Like a weird calculator that can explore many paths at once — powerful for niche puzzles, not a laptop replacement yet.”
Also matches: zero day · 0-day · zero-day vulnerability
A software vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor and has no patch available, making it exploitable by attackers.
“Like a lock manufacturer discovering their locks have a secret key — but they don't know about it yet.”
Malware that locks or encrypts your files and demands payment to unlock them.
“Like someone changing your house locks and mailing you the new key only if you pay.”
Also matches: phish · spear phishing
Fraud that tricks people into handing over passwords or money — often via fake emails or messages.
“Like a fake bank teller who looks official enough that you willingly hand over your PIN.”
Malicious software — viruses, trojans, spyware, and similar tools designed to harm or spy.
“Like inviting a “helper” into your house who secretly steals your keys and listens at the door.”
Also matches: CVEs · common vulnerabilities and exposures
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures. A public ID for a known security flaw so vendors and defenders can track it.
“Like a license plate for a bug — once it has a number, everyone can talk about the same problem.”
Also matches: encrypt · encrypted
Scrambling data so only people with the right key can read it.
“Like writing a letter in a secret code — the envelope can be stolen, but the message stays unreadable.”
Also matches: multi-factor authentication · 2FA · two-factor authentication
Multi-Factor Authentication. Proving who you are with more than a password — e.g. a phone code or app prompt.
“Like needing both a key and a fingerprint to open a door — stealing one isn't enough.”
Also matches: data breaches · security breach
An incident where private data is accessed, stolen, or exposed without authorization.
“Like a filing cabinet left unlocked overnight — someone may have copied everything inside.”
Also matches: vulnerabilities · security vulnerability
A weakness in software or systems that attackers can exploit to gain access or cause damage.
“Like a cracked window in a locked house — the door is solid, but there's still a way in.”
Also matches: botnets
A network of hijacked devices controlled together to spam, steal, or launch attacks.
“Like a fleet of stolen scooters all steered remotely into the same intersection.”
Also matches: DDoS attack · denial of service · distributed denial of service
Distributed Denial of Service — flooding a site or service with traffic so real users can't get through.
“Like packing a store entrance with fake customers so nobody who wants to buy can enter.”
Software that secretly monitors devices — keystrokes, messages, location — and reports back to someone else.
“Like a hidden camera in your living room that streams to a stranger.”
Also matches: trojan horse · trojans
Malware disguised as something useful so you install it willingly.
“Like a gift box that opens into a burglar — named after the Trojan Horse myth.”
Also matches: exploits · exploit code
Code or a technique that takes advantage of a vulnerability to break into or crash a system.
“Like a crowbar shaped exactly for one weak latch.”
Also matches: software patch · security patches · patch Tuesday
An update that fixes a vulnerability or bug — often rushed out after a flaw is disclosed.
“Like replacing a broken lock as soon as you learn the old one can be picked.”
Also matches: firewalls
A filter that allows or blocks network traffic based on rules — a first line of defense.
“Like a security gate that checks IDs before anyone enters the building.”
Also matches: virtual private network · VPNs
Virtual Private Network — encrypts your traffic and routes it through another server to hide or protect your connection.
“Like sending mail in a sealed tube through a trusted courier so café Wi‑Fi spies can't read it.”
Also matches: zero-trust · zero trust architecture
A security approach that verifies every access request — never assuming someone is safe just because they're “inside” the network.
“Like badge-checking at every office door, not only at the lobby.”
Also matches: security operations center · SOCs
Security Operations Center — the team and tools that monitor threats and respond to incidents.
“Like an air-traffic control tower for cyber alarms — watching screens, dispatching help.”
Also matches: advanced persistent threat · APT group
Advanced Persistent Threat — a skilled attacker (often state-linked) that stays hidden in a network for a long time.
“Like a burglar who doesn't smash-and-grab — they live in the attic for months and learn the schedule.”
Manipulating people into giving up access, money, or secrets — hacking humans, not just code.
“Like a con artist who talks the guard into opening the gate instead of picking the lock.”
Trying stolen username/password pairs from one breach on many other sites.
“Like using a copied house key on every door on the block to see which still match.”
Also matches: bug bounties · bug bounty program
A program that pays outside researchers to find and report security flaws ethically.
“Like offering a reward for finding cracks in your own walls before thieves do.”
Also matches: pentest · pen test · penetration testing
An authorized simulated attack to find weaknesses before real attackers do.
“Like hiring professional thieves to test your shop's locks and cameras — then fixing what they find.”
Also matches: E2EE · end to end encryption
Encryption where only the endpoints can read the message — intermediaries see scrambled data.
“Like a locked diary whose key only you and your friend hold — the courier can't open it.”
Also matches: darknet · dark web markets
Parts of the internet reachable only with special software, often used for anonymity — including crime markets.
“Like a back-alley bazaar behind a maze — not all of it is illegal, but plenty of it is shady.”
Also matches: software supply chain attack · supply chain compromise
Compromising software by hitting a dependency, vendor, or update channel that many victims trust.
“Like poisoning the flour mill instead of every bakery — one breach feeds many kitchens.”
Also matches: zero-click exploit · zero click attack
An exploit that infects a device with no tap or download from the victim — often via a message that auto-processes.
“Like a letter that unlocks your door as soon as the mail slot swallows it — you never open the envelope.”
Also matches: SIM swapping · simjacking
Fraud where attackers take over your phone number so SMS codes and calls route to them.
“Like convincing the post office to redirect your mailbox — then intercepting every one-time password.”
Also matches: one-time password · one time password · OTPs
One-Time Password — a short-lived code (often SMS or app) used as a second login factor.
“Like a hotel room code that expires after one use.”
Also matches: RaaS · ransomware as a service
Criminal kits that let affiliates run ransomware attacks using someone else's malware and infrastructure for a cut.
“Like franchise crime — headquarters builds the tools; local crews run the heists.”
Also matches: open-source · open source software · OSS
Software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and distribute freely.
“Like a recipe that everyone can see, improve, and share — nobody owns it, but everyone benefits.”
Also matches: edge compute · the edge
Processing data near the source (on the device) instead of sending it to a distant cloud server.
“Like doing your math homework at your desk instead of mailing it to a tutor and waiting for the answer.”
Also matches: the cloud · cloud computing
Computing power, storage, and apps rented from remote data centers instead of running only on your own machines.
“Like renting a kitchen when you need it — you cook without owning the building or the ovens.”
Also matches: data centers · datacenter · datacenters
A building full of servers that stores data and runs internet services at scale.
“Like a warehouse for computers — racks of machines humming so websites and apps stay online.”
Also matches: semiconductors
The material and industry behind computer chips — the tiny circuits that power phones, PCs, and AI.
“Like the steel of the digital age — almost every modern device is built around it.”
Also matches: low latency · high latency
The delay between sending a request and getting a response — how “laggy” a system feels.
“Like waiting for a reply after you say hello across a long hallway — distance and traffic both slow it down.”
How much data can move across a network in a given time — the size of the pipe.
“Like the width of a highway — more lanes mean more cars (data) can pass at once.”
Also matches: serverless computing
A cloud style where you run code without managing servers yourself — the provider scales it for you.
“Like a food court: you cook when hungry, but you don't own the kitchen staff or the building.”
Also matches: content delivery network · CDNs
Content Delivery Network. Copies of your site's files cached around the world so users load them from nearby servers.
“Like stocking convenience stores in every neighborhood so people don't all drive to one warehouse.”
Also matches: blockchains · on-chain
A distributed digital ledger that records transactions across many computers so the record can't be altered retroactively.
“Like a group project where everyone has a copy of the notes — nobody can cheat by erasing their mistakes.”
Also matches: CPUs · central processing unit
Central Processing Unit — the general-purpose brain of a computer that runs most software instructions.
“Like a head chef who can cook anything, but one dish at a time carefully.”
Also matches: TPUs · tensor processing unit
Tensor Processing Unit — Google's custom chip family optimized for machine learning workloads.
“Like a specialized bakery oven built only for bread — faster at that job than a general kitchen stove.”
Also matches: Nvidia
A major chip company whose GPUs dominate AI training and graphics workloads.
“Like the brand of engines most race teams happen to use this season — not the only option, but the default bet.”
Also matches: fab · fabs · foundry · semiconductor fab
A semiconductor fabrication plant — the factory that manufactures chips on silicon wafers.
“Like a ultra-clean bakery for circuits — one speck of dust can ruin the whole batch.”
Also matches: extreme ultraviolet · EUV lithography
Extreme Ultraviolet lithography — advanced light technology used to print the smallest chip features.
“Like carving jewelry with a laser so fine it can etch patterns smaller than a virus.”
Also matches: 5G network · 5G networks
The fifth generation of mobile networks — higher speeds and lower latency than 4G for phones and connected devices.
“Like upgrading from a two-lane road to an expressway with more exits for gadgets.”
Also matches: fiber · fibre · fiber optics · fibre optic
Cables that send data as light through glass strands — the backbone of fast internet.
“Like shipping messages as beams of light through tiny glass highways.”
Also matches: Internet of Things · IoT devices
Internet of Things — everyday devices (sensors, cameras, appliances) connected to the internet.
“Like giving your fridge, lock, and thermostat a phone number so they can talk to apps.”
Also matches: containers · Docker container · containerization
A portable package of an app and its dependencies so it runs the same way everywhere.
“Like a shipping container for software — load it once, move it between ships without repacking.”
Also matches: K8s · k8s
Open-source software that schedules and manages containers across clusters of machines.
“Like an air-traffic control system for shipping containers — deciding what runs where and when.”
Also matches: microservices · microservice architecture
An architecture style that splits a product into small independent services that talk over the network.
“Like a food court of specialist stalls instead of one giant kitchen making every dish.”
Also matches: API gateways
A front door for APIs that handles routing, auth, rate limits, and monitoring in one place.
“Like a hotel concierge who greets guests and sends them to the right room.”
Also matches: uptime SLA · high availability
How long a service stays available without outages — often sold as a percentage like 99.9%.
“Like a shop's open hours reliability — 99.9% still means occasional unexpected closures.”
Also matches: outages · service outage
A period when a service, network, or website is unavailable.
“Like the lights going out on a whole street — suddenly nobody can use what's usually there.”
Also matches: cache hit · cache miss · CDN cache
Temporarily storing data close by so repeated requests are faster.
“Like keeping snacks on your desk so you don't walk to the kitchen for every bite.”
Also matches: load balancing · load balancers
A system that spreads incoming traffic across many servers so none get overwhelmed.
“Like a restaurant host seating guests at empty tables instead of piling everyone on one.”
Also matches: S3 storage · blob storage
Cloud storage for files (objects) at massive scale — images, backups, datasets — accessed by API.
“Like a gigantic self-serve locker room where each file has its own numbered locker.”
Also matches: DevOps team
A culture and toolkit that connects software development with IT operations for faster, safer releases.
“Like chefs and waitstaff sharing one kitchen plan so food leaves hot and on time.”
Also matches: continuous integration · continuous delivery · continuous deployment
Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery — automatically testing and shipping code changes often.
“Like a factory conveyor that checks every widget before it ships — many small deliveries, fewer big surprises.”
Also matches: OSS license · software license
Legal terms that say how you may use, modify, and share open-source software (MIT, Apache, GPL, etc.).
“Like the house rules taped to a shared kitchen — free to use, but some recipes must stay public.”
Also matches: SDKs · software development kit
Software Development Kit — libraries and tools vendors give developers to build on a platform faster.
“Like a LEGO kit with the specialty bricks and instructions for one theme park ride.”
Also matches: OAuth 2.0 · OAuth2
A standard way for apps to get limited access to your account on another service without sharing your password.
“Like a hotel keycard for one floor — access without handing over the master key.”
Also matches: single sign-on · single sign on
Single Sign-On — log in once to a company identity system and reach many apps.
“Like one office badge that opens every door you're allowed to enter.”
A query language for APIs that lets clients ask for exactly the fields they need in one request.
“Like ordering à la carte instead of fixed set menus — you pick only the dishes you want.”
Also matches: Structured Query Language
Structured Query Language — the standard language for talking to relational databases.
“Like a precise order form for filing cabinets — ask for rows that match rules, get them back sorted.”
Also matches: Apache Kafka
A popular open-source system for streaming events between services at high volume (Apache Kafka).
“Like a industrial conveyor belt for messages — many producers drop packages, many consumers pick them up.”
Also matches: service level agreement · SLAs
Service Level Agreement — a contract promising uptime, response times, or other reliability targets.
“Like a delivery promise: “99.9% on-time or you get a refund.””
Also matches: electric vehicle · electric vehicles · EVs
Electric vehicle — cars, bikes, or buses powered mainly by batteries instead of gasoline.
“Like swapping the fuel tank for a giant rechargeable power bank on wheels.”
Also matches: self-driving car · self-driving cars · robotaxi
A vehicle that can drive with little or no human control using sensors and AI — often discussed in levels 0–5.
“Like a taxi where the software holds the steering wheel — still supervised a lot of the time today.”
Also matches: lidar sensor
A sensor that maps the world with laser pulses — common in self-driving stacks and 3D scanning.
“Like a bat's echolocation, but with light instead of sound — bounce pulses, build a depth map.”
Also matches: startups · start-up · start-ups
A young company designed to grow fast, usually by building a new product and raising outside funding.
“Like a small restaurant betting it can become a chain — high risk, high ambition.”
Also matches: initial public offering · IPOs · going public
Initial Public Offering. When a private company sells shares to the public for the first time.
“Like inviting the whole town to buy a piece of your shop instead of only friends and family owning it.”
Also matches: valuations · company valuation
An estimate of what a company is worth — often set by investors during a funding round.
“Like agreeing on a house price before anyone moves in — a negotiated guess, not a receipt.”
Also matches: acquisitions · acquired · M&A
When one company buys another — team, product, customers, or all of the above.
“Like one shop buying the shop next door so it can expand the menu and the customer list.”
Also matches: software as a service · SaaS product
Software as a Service. Software you use over the internet on a subscription, not installed once forever.
“Like a gym membership for software — you pay monthly to use the equipment instead of buying the machines.”
Also matches: VC · VCs · venture capitalists
Investment money for startups that may grow big — high risk for investors, high upside if the bet works.
“Like funding a film: most projects flop, a few blockbusters pay for everything.”
Also matches: unicorns · unicorn startup
A private startup valued at $1 billion or more.
“Like calling a rare animal by name — it signals “this company is huge for its stage,” not magic.”
Also matches: layoffs · laid off · job cuts
When a company cuts jobs, often in batches, for business reasons rather than individual performance.
“Like a restaurant closing tables for the season — seats disappear even if the cooks worked hard.”
Also matches: Series A funding · Series-A
An early major venture funding round after seed — usually to scale a product that already shows traction.
“Like upgrading from a pop-up stall to a permanent shop once customers keep coming back.”
Also matches: seed funding · seed stage
Very early funding to build a first product and find product-market fit.
“Like friends chipping in so you can rent a kitchen and try the menu on real customers.”
Also matches: Series B funding
A later growth funding round focused on scaling sales, hiring, and expansion after product-market fit.
“Like opening new branches after the first location proves it works.”
Also matches: cash burn · monthly burn
How quickly a startup spends cash — usually measured per month.
“Like watching the fuel gauge on a long road trip — high burn means fewer months until empty.”
Also matches: cash runway
How many months a company can operate before cash runs out at the current burn rate.
“Like how far the plane can fly before it needs to refuel — or land.”
Also matches: PMF · product market fit
The moment a product clearly satisfies a real market — users want it enough to keep using and paying.
“Like a street-food cart that suddenly has a daily queue — you stopped guessing; demand is obvious.”
Also matches: pivoted · pivoting
A significant change in product, customers, or business model when the original plan isn't working.
“Like a restaurant that switches from fine dining to takeaway noodles after the room stays empty.”
Also matches: annual recurring revenue
Annual Recurring Revenue — yearly subscription revenue, a key SaaS growth metric.
“Like counting gym memberships for the year, not one-off smoothie sales.”
Also matches: monthly recurring revenue
Monthly Recurring Revenue — subscription revenue normalized to a month.
“Like your predictable monthly rent income from tenants — not including one-time deposits.”
Also matches: churn rate · customer churn
The rate at which customers cancel or stop paying for a subscription product.
“Like a leaky bucket — you can keep pouring new users in, but growth stalls if water drains out.”
Also matches: marketplaces · two-sided marketplace
A platform that connects buyers and sellers (or riders and drivers) and usually takes a cut.
“Like a night market organizer — you don't cook every dish; you bring stalls and customers together.”
Also matches: platform business · platform company
A base product others build on — app stores, cloud APIs, or social networks that host ecosystems.
“Like a shopping mall — the value is the space and foot traffic, not only one store.”
Also matches: monetize · monetizing
How a product turns users or attention into revenue — ads, subscriptions, fees, and more.
“Like deciding whether a festival charges tickets, sells food stalls, or both.”
Also matches: spinoff · spun off
When a company splits out a division into a separate business.
“Like a big restaurant group letting one popular brand become its own independent chain.”
Also matches: mergers · merged
When two companies combine into one — related to, but not identical to, an acquisition.
“Like two neighboring shops tearing down the wall and sharing one sign.”
Also matches: share buyback · buybacks · share repurchase
When a company purchases its own shares, often to return cash to shareholders or boost per-share metrics.
“Like a club buying back memberships so fewer people own a larger slice.”
Also matches: earnings · quarterly earnings · earnings call
A company's periodic public update on revenue, profit, and outlook — closely watched by markets.
“Like a report card day for public companies — grades, comments, and next-term goals.”
Also matches: climatetech · climate technology
Technology aimed at cutting emissions, adapting to climate change, or measuring environmental impact.
“Like inventing better umbrellas, drains, and clean engines for a stormier world.”
Also matches: ESG investing · ESG score
Environmental, Social, and Governance — a framework investors use to score how companies handle sustainability and ethics.
“Like a report card beyond profits — pollution, workers, and board behavior also get graded.”
Association of Southeast Asian Nations — a regional group of 10 countries that cooperate on trade, security, and policy.
“Like a neighborhood association for countries — they don't merge into one house, but they set shared rules.”
Also matches: digital identity · e-ID · national digital ID
An online identity system that proves who you are for government or private services — often a national ID app or card.
“Like a passport for the internet — one trusted credential that unlocks many doors.”
Also matches: fintechs · financial technology
Technology that delivers financial services — payments, banking, lending, insurance — often via apps.
“Like a bank branch that lives in your phone — same money jobs, different building.”
Also matches: regulations · regulatory
Rules set by governments that companies must follow — privacy, competition, AI safety, telecom, and more.
“Like traffic laws for industry — they slow some moves, but keep the road usable for everyone.”
Also matches: general data protection regulation
Europe's General Data Protection Regulation — a landmark privacy law that shaped how companies handle personal data worldwide.
“Like a strict library policy for personal data: you must say why you collected it and who can read it.”
Also matches: content moderators
How platforms decide what posts stay up, get labeled, or get removed — by people, AI, or both.
“Like a club bouncer for posts — some get in, some get a warning, some are turned away.”
Also matches: anti-trust · competition law
Laws and cases aimed at preventing monopolies and unfair competition.
“Like rules that stop one mega-mall from buying every shop so customers still have choices.”
Also matches: personal data protection · data privacy law
Rules and practices about how personal information is collected, stored, shared, and deleted.
“Like deciding who may photocopy your ID — and how long they can keep the copy.”
Also matches: AI Act · European AI Act
Europe's landmark regulation classifying AI systems by risk and setting obligations for providers and users.
“Like vehicle safety classes — toys, city cars, and trucks follow different rulebooks.”
Also matches: DSA · EU DSA
EU rules for online platforms on illegal content, transparency, and systemic risk — often abbreviated DSA.
“Like requiring big markets to post clear rules and remove dangerous stalls faster.”
Also matches: network neutrality
The principle that internet providers should treat all traffic equally — not favoring or blocking sites for payment.
“Like a postal service that delivers every letter at the same speed, no matter who wrote it.”
Also matches: mass surveillance · digital surveillance
Systematic monitoring of people or communications by governments or companies.
“Like CCTV on every corner — safety for some, a constant watcher for others.”
Also matches: internet censorship · censored
Blocking or suppressing information — by governments, platforms, or other authorities.
“Like blacking out pages in a newspaper before it hits the street.”
Also matches: export sanctions · trade sanctions
Penalties — often trade or tech export limits — used by countries to pressure other governments or companies.
“Like grounding a teammate from the supply closet until they change behavior.”
Also matches: chip export controls · tech export controls
Rules limiting which technologies (like advanced chips) can be sold to certain countries or buyers.
“Like a customs list of tools you're not allowed to ship abroad without a special permit.”
Also matches: data residency
Rules requiring certain data to be stored or processed inside a country's borders.
“Like insisting important files stay in the national filing room, not a warehouse overseas.”
Rules and APIs that let licensed apps access bank data (with consent) to build new financial services.
“Like letting a trusted bookkeeper read your bank statements — with your permission — to automate bills.”
Also matches: digital payment · cashless payment · QR payment
Moving money via apps, QR codes, cards, or transfers instead of cash — central to fintech in ASEAN.
“Like paying the noodle stall by scanning a code instead of counting bills.”
Also matches: egovernment · digital government
Delivering public services online — IDs, taxes, licenses — through digital portals and apps.
“Like a government office that fits in your phone instead of a queue under fluorescent lights.”
Also matches: disinformation · fake news
False or misleading information shared regardless of intent — often contrasted with deliberate disinformation.
“Like a wrong map passed around a hiking group — not always malice, still gets people lost.”
Also matches: deepfakes · deep fake
AI-generated audio or video that convincingly fakes a real person's likeness or voice.
“Like a puppet that wears someone's face so well strangers think the person is speaking.”
Also matches: copyrights · copyrighted
Legal rights that control how creative works (code, music, writing, images) can be copied and reused.
“Like a deed for a song or photo — others need permission (or a license) to rebuild with it.”
Also matches: patents · patent filing
A time-limited legal monopoly on an invention — others can't commercially use it without a license.
“Like a temporary exclusive recipe right — you publish how it works, but only you may sell it for a while.”
Also matches: whistleblowers · whistle-blower
Someone who reports wrongdoing inside an organization, often at personal risk.
“Like a firefighter pulling the alarm from inside the building — loud, costly, sometimes necessary.”
Also matches: Bakong wallet · Bakong system
Cambodia's central-bank digital payment system — a real-time retail/payment rail run with the National Bank of Cambodia.
“Like a national digital wallet highway — banks and apps ride the same rails to move riel instantly.”
Also matches: KH QR · Cambodia QR
Cambodia's standardized QR payment code — one scan format that works across participating banks and wallets.
“Like one universal price-tag barcode for payments — any participating app can read the same sticker.”
Also matches: know your customer · KYC check
Know Your Customer — identity checks banks and fintechs run before letting you open accounts or move larger sums.
“Like showing your ID at a hotel desk before you get a room key.”
Also matches: anti-money laundering · AML compliance
Anti-Money Laundering — rules and monitoring that try to stop dirty money being hidden through banks and apps.
“Like airport security for cash flows — unusual bags get pulled aside and questioned.”
Also matches: central bank digital currency · CBDCs
Central Bank Digital Currency — digital money issued by a country's central bank (distinct from crypto tokens).
“Like cash printed as software by the national mint — still official money, just not paper.”
Also matches: biometrics · biometric authentication · facial recognition
Identity verification using body traits — fingerprint, face, iris — instead of only passwords or cards.
“Like using your face as the key — convenient, but you can't change your face if it's copied.”
Also matches: crypto · cryptocurrencies · digital currency
Digital money secured by cryptography and usually recorded on a blockchain — Bitcoin is the best-known example.
“Like casino chips for the internet — valuable inside the system if enough people accept them.”
Also matches: BTC
The first major cryptocurrency — a scarce digital asset secured by a public blockchain and mining.
“Like digital gold with a public ledger — everyone can see the vault log, nobody can quietly reprint bars.”
Also matches: ETH · Ether
A major blockchain platform for smart contracts and apps, with ether (ETH) as its native token.
“Like a world computer that also has its own fuel token to pay for running programs.”
Also matches: stablecoins · USD stablecoin
A crypto token designed to hold a steady value — often pegged to the US dollar.
“Like a digital traveler's check meant to stay near $1 instead of swinging like a meme coin.”
Also matches: decentralized finance
Decentralized Finance — lending, trading, and banking-like services run by smart contracts instead of traditional banks.
“Like an ATM network with no bank branch — code holds the vault keys.”
Also matches: NFTs · non-fungible token · non-fungible tokens
Non-Fungible Token — a blockchain record that marks a unique item (art, ticket, collectible) as one-of-a-kind.
“Like a certificate of authenticity for a digital poster — the file can be copied; the certificate is scarce.”
Also matches: Web 3 · web 3.0
A marketing umbrella for internet apps built around blockchains, tokens, and user-owned credentials.
“Like promising a new mall where shoppers also own shares of the stalls — still under construction.”
Also matches: smart contracts
Code on a blockchain that automatically runs agreements when conditions are met.
“Like a vending machine contract — insert the right inputs, get the output without a cashier.”