AI engineering layers
Decision model
Definition
An AI model built to choose from set options, answer yes or no, or assign a score instead of writing an open-ended response.
Visual example
Ticket sorter = decision model
The kitchen connection
Think of a small ticket sorter sending clear orders to the right kitchen station and handing uncertain ones to the head chef.
The illustration connects the AI idea to something familiar. Follow the subject, the action, and the result to see how it works.
- 01 · Who or what
- Ticket sorter = decision model
- 02 · What happens
- Chooses from set kitchen stations
- 03 · The result
- Flags uncertain orders for review
Why it matters
It can make narrow agent choices, such as routing or scoring, easier to test and potentially faster and cheaper. A confidence score is not a guarantee: the right option may be missing, so uncertain or important decisions still need review.