ZSL — Zero-Shot Learning
Definition: Asking a model to perform a task with no examples in the prompt — just the instruction. The default mode of modern LLMs, and a fair test of how much real generalization the base model has.
Example
The new model handled invoice classification zero-shot at 89% accuracy — last year that workflow needed a fine-tune.
When you'll hear it
ZSL shows up most often in AI strategy reviews, model evaluation discussions, and product roadmap meetings. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to zero-shot learning — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does ZSL stand for?
ZSL stands for Zero-Shot Learning.
What does ZSL mean in AI and machine-learning?
Asking a model to perform a task with no examples in the prompt — just the instruction. The default mode of modern LLMs, and a fair test of how much real generalization the base model has.
Where will I hear ZSL used at work?
ZSL comes up most often in AI strategy reviews, model evaluation discussions, and product roadmap meetings. It's used as shorthand for zero-shot learning, so people assume you already know the term.
Related terms
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