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Building a Smarter AI Agent with Neural RAG - Will Bryk, Exa.ai
AI Engineerยท 2025-07-29 07:01
Core Problem & Solution - The presentation introduces Exa, a search engine designed for AI, addressing the limitations of traditional search engines built for human users [5][23] - Exa aims to provide an API that delivers any information from the web, catering to the specific needs of AI systems [22][41] - Exa uses transformer-based embeddings to represent documents, capturing meaning and context beyond keywords [11][12] AI vs Human Search - Traditional search engines are optimized for humans who use simple queries and want a few relevant links, while AIs require complex queries, vast amounts of knowledge, and precise, controllable information [23][24] - AI agents need search engines that can handle multi-paragraph queries, search with extensive context, and provide comprehensive knowledge [31][32][33] - Exa offers features like adjustable result numbers (10, 100, 1000), date ranges, and domain-specific searches, giving AI systems full control [44] Market Positioning & Technology - Exa launched in November 2022 and gained traction for its ability to handle complex queries that traditional search engines struggle with [15] - The company recognized the need for AI-driven search after the emergence of ChatGPT, realizing that LLMs need external knowledge sources [17][18] - Exa combines neural and keyword search methods to provide comprehensive results, allowing agents to use different search types based on the query [47][48] Future Development - Exa is developing a "research endpoint" that uses multiple searches and LLM calls to generate detailed reports and structured outputs [51] - The company envisions a future where AI agents have full access to the world's information through a versatile search API [48] - Exa aims to handle a wider range of queries, including semantic and complex ones, turning the web into a controllable database for AI systems [38][39][40]