Adrentech’s norm AI-Powered Search vs. the Traditional Search: What’s the Difference and Why Does it Matter?

January 22, 2025

Knowledge bases are a key component of most business’s customer service processes. By allowing customers easy access to these information hubs, businesses can easily enhance the customer service process by offering 24/7 access to answers, as well as streamlining the employee training process.

Traditionally when searching the knowledge base, employees and customers use a conventional search function that returns a list of documents or articles based on keyword matches. In this article, we’ll be referring to this process as a ‘traditional’ search. However, advancements in artificial intelligence over this last decade have introduced a more sophisticated, cleaner approach to the search process- an ‘AI-assisted’ search, as used by Adrentech’s norm.

Understanding the key differences between these two searches and why these differences matter is crucial for businesses looking to both modernize and optimize their client’s usage of their base.

Traditional Searches

In knowledge base systems that use traditional search systems, queries are typically pulled based on exact keyword matches. This means that when a user – customer or employee – enters a search term, the system looks for articles, documents, or other resources that contain these keywords. However straightforward this method is, it often can lead to a lengthier search process as irrelevant or overly broad results may often be fetched purely because they contain a relevant keyword.

AI-Assisted Searches

AI-powered search systems such as norm (read more about our AI platform here) on the other hand go beyond just a simple search based on keyword matches. Systems that use the current advances in AI as tools can understand the intent behind the query. This allows the system to deliver search results based not only on specific terms, but also on context. In addition, articles are not the only thing delivered with this search. Answers are given as well, pulled directly from the cited most relevant articles. This method of giving the answer and the most in-context articles ensures a speedier search process for your clients.

Digging Deeper into these Differences

The traditional search and AI-assisted searches differences are not merely technical; they can have marked difference on both user satisfaction and business outcomes.

Improved Efficiency

As was touched on in the previous paragraph, AI-assisted searches can effectively reduce the amount of time customers and employees spend searching for information. Via the traditional method, customers often must search through multiple articles for the correct answers. However, the AI-assisted context-driven search allows answers from multiple relevant articles to be delivered with one search, in addition to allowing customers access to relevant articles. By putting to use this search method, your business can cut down on the often-frustrating traditional search process, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

Reduced Strain on Support Teams

Traditional search is incapable of adapting and understanding customer queries beyond a simple keyword match. This often makes it a tool considered frustrating to use as opposed to directly calling the customer support team. An AI-powered searches understanding of user intent, however, makes it capable of deflecting a significant number of routine support queries. This reduces the need for the support team to address routine queries, allowing them to focus on more specialized tasks.

Continuous Improvement

AI search systems offer your business the ability to continually learn from interactions with its users. Adrentech norm for instance offers its clients the ability to track popular searches, responses, and articles, in addition to other metrics. This allows the information necessary for content adaptation to be right at your business's fingertips.

In comparing the traditional search and AI-assisted search methods, it quickly becomes clear the advantages of AI. By offering more efficient searches, the ability to handle complex queries, and offering metrics for improvement, AI-assisted searches offer businesses the chance to transform how their users access and put information to use.

Ready to learn more about how norm’s AI-powered search can drive value to your business? Book a demo today!