The AI sandwich is a conceptual framework and newer term that describes how humans and artificial intelligence systems work together in a structured workflow. In this model, humans initiate and frame a task (the top layer), AI systems perform analysis or generate outputs (the middle layer), and humans then review, interpret, and apply the results (the bottom layer).

The term emphasizes that effective AI use depends on human judgment at both the beginning and end of a process, rather than full automation. It is commonly used to illustrate human-in-the-loop approaches and the growing role of AI as a collaborative tool in decision-making, learning, and work.