AI chatbots spew out nonsense too often. But there's a solution: retrieval-augmented generation.

• Retrieval-augmented generation is enhancing large language models' accuracy and specificity.
• However, it still poses challenges and requires specific implementation techniques.
• This article is part of "Build IT," a series about digital tech trends disrupting industries.

The November 2022 launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT kicked off the latest wave of interest in AI, but it came with some serious issues. People could ask questions on almost any topic, but many of the large language model's answers were uselessly generic — or completely wrong. No, ChatGPT, the population of Mars is not 2.5 billion.