Why It Matters
Vector databases sit behind most AI search and document Q&A features. For buyers, the relevant questions are where that index is hosted, whether it respects document permissions and how it is deleted when a matter closes.
Related Terms
- Embeddings
- Numeric representations of text that capture meaning, so a computer can tell that "terminate for convenience" and "end the agreement without cause" are related.
- Semantic search
- Search that matches meaning rather than exact keywords, so a question in plain English can find relevant documents that use different wording.
- RAG (retrieval-augmented generation)
- An AI technique that first looks up relevant documents, such as cases or your contracts, and then has the model answer from what it found.
General information, not legal advice. Part of the Legal Tech Glossary, 173 terms in plain English.