Interview Q&A / AI & Generative AI
AI & Generative AI interview questions
LLMs, tokens, embeddings, RAG and prompt engineering, the questions every AI role now asks.
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- What is a vector database, and how is it different from a normal database?
A vector database stores embeddings and finds the ones nearest to a query vector quickly, using specialised indexes. A normal database finds rows by exact values or ranges. Vector search finds similar meaning, not equal values.
BeginnerQuick answer1 min read - Why do vector databases use approximate nearest neighbour search instead of exact search?
Exact search compares the query with every vector, which gets too slow for millions of items. Approximate nearest neighbour indexes such as graph or clustering structures check only a small part of the data and usually return the same top results, trading a little recall for large speed gains.
IntermediateQuick answer1 min read