157: From Search Engine to Answer Engine Using Grounded Generative AI, Featuring Amr Awadallah of Vectara

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and Kostas chat with Amr Awadallah, the Founder and CEO of Vectara. During the episode, Amr discusses his extensive experience in the data industry and his new company, Vectara, which focuses on enabling companies to integrate capabilities in their products using large language models (LLMs) with security, reliability, and ease of use. The conversation also covers the advancements in data, computing, and algorithms that have led to emergent behaviors in neural networks, the practical applications of Vectara’s technology, the challenges and considerations in working with large language models, the importance of addressing technology misuse and aligning different value systems in society, and more.