Embeddings
A way of converting text (or images) into numbers that capture their meaning, so a computer can compare how similar two pieces of content are.
01 Definition
An embedding turns a word, sentence, or document into a list of numbers (a vector) positioned in a mathematical space where similar meanings end up close together. This lets software compare meaning mathematically instead of just matching exact keywords.
02 Why It Matters
Embeddings are the technology behind 'search by meaning' features and RAG systems — they're why an AI search tool can find a relevant document even if it doesn't share your exact search words.
03 Example
Searching 'cheap flights' and getting results for 'budget airfare' because their embeddings are mathematically close in meaning.