Elasticsearch 8.16 introduces Better Binary Quantization (BBQ), a novel method for compressing vectorized data that surpasses traditional Product Quantization (PQ), making Elastic the first vector database vendor to implement this approach. This release also includes the general availability of Reciprocal Rank Fusion (RRF) and new tools for building hybrid search and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) applications. Available on Elastic Cloud and for self-managed use, this version of Elasticsearch enhances the developer experience with features like customizable navigation, an Elastic AI Assistant, and improved support for machine learning models. The new capabilities aim to streamline workflows, reduce computing resources, and maintain high search quality, while also offering integration with popular inference providers and support for various embedding models.