Glossary · Updated Sep 2, 2026

Fine-tuning

Further training of a pre-trained model on your own examples to specialise its behaviour, style, or knowledge.

Definition

Fine-tuning adjusts model weights using curated examples so the model adopts a format, tone, or domain more reliably than prompting alone. Parameter-efficient methods such as LoRA make it cheap for open-weight models, including image generators trained on a brand's style. It does not reliably teach new facts, which is better handled by retrieval.

Why it matters when choosing a tool

Fine-tuning matters when consistent style or format is critical, such as brand-consistent images or a support bot's tone, but it adds maintenance and evaluation work.

Where you will meet it

AI Image & Design, AI 3D & Game Assets, AI Coding & Development

Related terms

LoRA (low-rank adaptation) · Open-weight model · Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) · Training data

Tools where this matters

Reviewed products in the related categories