What is a vector database?

Vector databases are becoming crucial for managing complex, high-dimensional data in AI applications. These systems store and query vector embeddings of unstructured data like text, images, and audio. They offer fast similarity searches, improved AI model output, and cost-effective solutions for handling large volumes of data. Vector databases use advanced indexing techniques and similarity metrics to find related data points efficiently. Their importance is growing with the rise of large language models and generative AI, as they enhance data understanding and contextualisation. Recent investments highlight their critical role in modern applications.