Azure AI Search
Advanced search and retrieval for generative AI apps.
Overview
Azure AI Search (formerly Azure Cognitive Search) is a fully managed search-as-a-service that helps developers build rich search experiences. It has evolved into a powerful platform for RAG, offering integrated vector search, hybrid retrieval, and a set of 'AI skills' for data enrichment (e.g., OCR, entity recognition). It allows developers to index data from various Azure and external sources to build sophisticated retrieval systems for generative AI applications.
✨ Key Features
- Integrated vector search and hybrid retrieval
- AI skillsets for data enrichment (OCR, NLP)
- Built-in data indexers for Azure sources
- Semantic ranking for improved relevance
- Tunable ranking profiles
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Seamless integration with Azure OpenAI and the broader Azure ecosystem
- Powerful 'AI skillsets' for pre-processing and enriching data during ingestion
- Mature and feature-rich platform for enterprise search
Unique Value: Provides a powerful and flexible platform for building advanced retrieval systems on Azure, with deep integrations and unique AI enrichment capabilities that enhance the quality of data for RAG.
🎯 Use Cases (5)
✅ Best For
- Retail catalog search
- Corporate document search
- Log analytics
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Organizations not invested in the Microsoft Azure ecosystem
🏆 Alternatives
Azure AI Search offers more control and customizability over the indexing and enrichment pipeline compared to higher-level services like Kendra, making it ideal for developers who need to build tailored search solutions.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
- ✓ Live Chat
- ✓ Phone Support
- ✓ Dedicated Support (Azure Professional Direct Support tier)
🔒 Compliance & Security
💰 Pricing
✓ 14-day free trial
Free tier: Free tier with limited documents and storage.
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