Answer engine
AI systemsDefined term
An answer engine retrieves candidate sources for a query, then uses a language model to synthesize a direct response with citations — the pattern behind AI search experiences and assistant browsing. The output is an answer with sources attached, not a ranked list of destinations.
Structurally it is a retrieval pipeline plus a generation step plus a citation-selection step, and each stage has its own failure modes: retrieval misses, synthesis errors, and citations that decorate rather than support. Visibility in this layer is decided by different mechanics than classic ranking.
Browse the glossary
AI systems5 of 28 terms
- Tool-calling loop⦿ liveThe cycle at the core of every AI agent: the model emits a structured tool call, the runtime executes it, the result re-enters context.AI systems
- Agent orchestration⦿ liveThe control layer above tool-calling loops: routing work across steps or agents, managing state, retries, and stopping rules.AI systems
- Answer engineA system that responds to queries with a synthesized, cited answer rather than a list of links — the AI search layer.AI systems
- Citation selectionHow an answer engine chooses which retrieved sources to cite — the mechanism that decides visibility in AI search.AI systems
- LLM evalsSystematic tests that measure model or agent behavior against defined expectations — the unit tests of AI systems.AI systems