Technology
What is A vector database?
A vector database stores data as numerical 'vectors' that capture meaning, so it can find items by similarity rather than exact match. It's the backbone of modern AI search — letting systems retrieve the most relevant text, images, or audio for a query.
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Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a vector database.
Key things to understand
- 1It stores data as meaning-capturing numerical vectors.
- 2It finds items by similarity, not exact keywords.
- 3It powers AI search and recommendation.
- 4It's key to giving AI models relevant context.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a vector database?
- A database that stores data as vectors and finds results by similarity of meaning rather than exact matches.
- Why do AI systems use vector databases?
- They let AI quickly retrieve the most relevant information to answer questions or ground responses.
- What is an embedding?
- A vector that represents the meaning of text, an image, or audio so similar items sit close together.