How do tokens differ from symbols in information processing?

In the context of information processing, tokens and symbols serve distinct roles in how a processor manages and interprets data.

• Tokens: A token is a fundamental object that a processor recognizes as distinct from others, but it is inherently devoid of meaning. A collection of these unique tokens forms the processor's basic "alphabet"—for example, the dots and dashes used in Morse code. In modern computing, particularly in artificial intelligence, tokens serve as the basic units of input and output, sometimes representing parts of words or characters.12
• Symbols: Symbols are patterns of tokens that carry specific meaning. They are used to represent objects, ideas, or complex entities. In information processing, symbols are combined to form symbolic expressions, which act as the primary inputs and outputs for a processor and are stored in its memory.13

Essentially, while tokens provide the raw, meaningless building blocks for a system, symbols provide the structure and semantic content that allow an information processor to represent and manipulate information.1