This new AI model thinks in images, not just words

For almost a decade, AI researchers have been obsessed with one kind of artificial intelligence —large language models (LLMs), which they train to write, talk, and reason using words. The tech industry is making an enormous bet that making such models bigger and smarter is the path to superintelligence. But in 2026 some very high-profile AI researchers doubt that this word-centric approach is the whole answer.