Altgen

Altgen is a flexible term appearing across disciplines as shorthand for "alternative generation" or "alternate generation." Because it is not standardized, its meaning varies by context.

In computing and AI, altgen typically refers to strategies or tools that produce alternative outputs from a generative model. Examples include generating multiple candidate texts, images, or sequences by varying prompts, seeds, or sampling methods. In research and development, altgen methods are used to increase diversity, enable user control, or explore edge cases.

In energy systems, altgen is used to denote sources of generation that supplement conventional power plants, especially renewable or distributed generation. In policy and planning documents, altgen capacity or scenarios describe the impact of solar, wind, hydro, or other non-traditional sources on grid reliability and emissions.

In genetics or bioinformatics, AltGen or alt-gen may be an acronym for a tool or project dealing with alternative genome generation or simulation. However, this usage is non-standard and not widely adopted.

Because of its generic nature, "altgen" often appears in lowercase, while capitalized forms like AltGen may be used as branding for specific tools or projects. When encountering the term, readers should rely on the accompanying definition or context to determine its exact meaning.