Knowtive

INTELLIGENT RETRIEVAL

AI Knowledge Assistant

An AI Knowledge Assistant makes an organisation’s documents, data and knowledge sources searchable through intelligent retrieval and generative AI.

A simple chatbot or basic RAG solution can be relatively straightforward to build. The enterprise challenge usually lies in sources, structure, permissions, quality and governance.

ENTERPRISE REQUIREMENTS

More than “chat with documents”

A basic Retrieval-Augmented Generation solution may consist of documents, embeddings, a vector database and a language model. That can be enough for a prototype.

Enterprise solutions quickly need to address which sources are used, how information is structured, who can access it, how relevant information is retrieved and how answers can be traced to evidence.

Multiple data sourcesDifferent document typesAccess permissionsMetadataVersion controlRetrieval qualityProvenanceSource citationsAI governanceEvaluation

RETRIEVAL

The right answer starts with the right information

Retrieval quality often determines whether RAG is useful. Keyword search matches precise language. Semantic search and vector search use embeddings to find related meaning. Hybrid search combines methods, while reranking reprioritises the strongest results.

KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURE

Structure provides better context

Metadata, taxonomies, ontologies, entities, entity resolution and knowledge graphs can improve retrieval, context, filtering, consistency and explainability.

Read about knowledge architecture →

AI & GENERATION

The model is a choice — not the objective

RAG combines retrieved information with Large Language Models (LLMs), providing a foundation for AI assistants and enterprise chatbots.

Cloud models, private AI and local models have different strengths. The choice depends on security, performance, cost and task.

01Metadata

Describes and filters information.

02Taxonomies

Create controlled vocabularies.

03Ontologies

Describe meaning and relationships.

04Entities

Make people, projects and concepts explicit.

05Entity Resolution

Connects name variants to one identity.

06Knowledge Graphs

Connect entities and documents semantically.

SECURITY, PRIVACY & DATA GOVERNANCE

Your data should remain yours

A Knowledge Assistant does not need to send the organisation’s knowledge to a public chatbot.

The solution can be designed around requirements for security, confidentiality and data handling — for example through controlled API services, private cloud environments or local models.

The choice of AI model is part of the architecture — not a prerequisite.

Private or local models are not automatically more secure. Security depends on the complete architecture and operational setup, including data privacy, data residency, hosting and access patterns.

01

Access controlUser permissions and controlled access

02

Data handlingData minimisation and separation of customer data

03

ModelsPrivate or local language models where appropriate

04

APIsControlled API access

05

TraceabilityLogging, auditability, source and data provenance

06

ProtectionEncryption in transit and at rest where supported

TRUST & GOVERNANCE

Trust requires more than a well-written answer

Citations and provenance show where information comes from. Access control and permissions limit what a user can see. Evaluation measures quality, while governance and auditability make the system manageable over time.

TYPICAL USE CASES

From SharePoint to technical documentation

Internal Knowledge Assistant

Search controlled internal sources and answer with citations.

SharePoint Knowledge Search

Combine hybrid search, metadata and source transparency.

Technical Documentation Assistant

Navigate manuals and versions with precise evidence.

R&D Knowledge Assistant

Connect research documents, entities and concepts.

Procedure & Policy Assistant

Use current, approved and permission-controlled sources.

FROM PROTOTYPE TO ENTERPRISE

Build learning and control into the process

Start with a bounded problem, test retrieval and answers, evaluate quality and expand only when the evidence supports it.

External information flows can also connect to research intelligence and recurring surveillance.

Knowtive makes knowledge useful.

Talk to Knowtive about a Knowledge Assistant

Start with the problem. Together, we can identify the combination of structure, search and AI that makes sense.

Let’s talk