NLP (Natural Language Processing) and NLU (Natural Language Understanding) are two closely related terms, but they have slightly different meanings.
NLP is a broader field that refers to the technology that allows computers to understand and manipulate natural language. NLP includes several techniques, such as speech recognition, natural language processing, and natural language generation.
NLU, on the other hand, focuses primarily on natural language understanding. Specifically, NLU refers to the ability of computers to understand the meaning of what the user is saying and to respond accordingly. NLU is an essential part of NLP, because without a good understanding of natural language, computers would not be able to communicate effectively with users.
In summary, NLP is a broader field that encompasses many techniques to handle natural language interactions.