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I think the use of this term "RAG" is counterproductive and almost makes me suspicious. Because it is used ambiguously and imprecisely, usually with the main ai
by ilaksh 3y ago
I think the use of this term "RAG" is counterproductive and almost makes me suspicious. Because it is used ambiguously and imprecisely, usually with the main aim being to suggest a level of expertise.
But all it really means is that you put some extra information in your prompt (from somewhere) that didn't come from the user. It's basically the first thing that anyone thinks of once they get the API call working.
People don't use it to only mean vector search, despite often assuming that is what it means.
What I have been leaning towards recently is not using vectors at all, or only using it when I have an extremely close vector match. Instead I give the API one or more functions to look up information that is like an index for documentation or retrieving some info from a database. But it's specific to the application.
I think usually the non-vector stuff is more effective.
- sprobertson 3y ago> all it really means is that you put some extra information in your prompt (from somewhere) that didn't come from the user Yes, and if you are getting (retrieving) some extra information to add to (augment) your prompt for further responses (generation) then it's not very ambiguous.
- ilaksh 3y agoRight, the name makes sense. People made it ambiguous because they often believe it means vector search. I don't think that's correct, but if you look in this discussion, that's the reality of usage. So that makes it ambiguous in practice.
- sprobertson 3y agoI see what you mean - not sure about the usage of ambiguous but some people do have an overly narrow definition in mind