Intelligent enterprise search has become smarter and more powerful, and is more strategic to enterprise than ever.
It’s been an exciting few months since OpenAI released ChatGPT, which now has everyone talking about it, many talking to it and all eyes on what’s next.
It’s not surprising. ChatGPT raised the bar for what computers are capable of and is a window into what’s possible with AI. And with tech giants Microsoft, Google and now Meta joining the race, we should all buckle up for an exciting but potentially bumpy ride.
Core to these capabilities are large language models (LLMs) — specifically, a particular generative LLM that makes ChatGPT possible. LLMs are not new, but the rate of innovation, capabilities and scope are evolving and accelerating at mind-blowing speed. A peek behind the AI curtain
There’s also a lot going on “behind the curtain” that has led to confusion, and some have mistakenly characterized ChatGPT as a Google killer, or that generative AI will replace search. Quite the contrary.
First, it’s important to distinguish between search and generative AI. The purpose of search is information retrieval: Surfacing something that already exists. Generative AI and applications like ChatGPT are generative, creating something new based on what the LLM has been trained on.
ChatGPT feels a bit like search because you engage with it through conversational questions in natural language and it responds with well-written prose and a very confident answer. But unlike search, ChatGPT is not retrieving information or content; instead, it creates an imperfect reflection of the material it already knows (what it has been trained on). It really is nothing more than a mishmash of words created based on probabilities.
While LLMs won’t replace search, they can complement a search experience. The real power of applying generative LLMs to search is convenience: To summarize the results into a concise, easy-to-read format. Bundling generative LLMs with search will open the door for new possibilities.Search a proving ground for AI and LLMs
Generative models based on LLMs are here to stay and will revolutionize how we do many things. Today’s low-hanging fruit is synthesis — compiling lists and writing summaries for common topics. Most of those capabilities are not categorized as search. But the search experience will be transformed and splintered with specialized LLMs that serve specific needs.
So, amid the excitement of generative AI, LLMs and ChatGPT, there’s one prevailing point: Search will be a proving ground for AI and LLMs. This is especially true with enterprise search. Unlike B2C applications, B2B and in-business applications will have a much lower tolerance for inaccuracy and a much higher need for the protection of proprietary information. The adoption of generative AI in enterprise search will lag that of internet search and will require creative approaches to meet the special challenges of business.
To that end, what does 2023 hold for enterprise search? Here are five themes that shape the future of enterprise search in the year ahead. LLMs enhance the search experience
Until recently, applying LLMs to search was a costly and cumbersome affair. That changed last year when the first companies started incorporating LLMs into enterprise search. This produced the first major leap forward in search technology in decades, resulting in search that is faster, more focused and more forgiving. Yet we’re only at the beginning.
