Batch vs. Real-Time Processing: Designing a Flexible Architecture for RAG Pipelines

Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines play a crucial role in enhancing AI applications by transforming unstructured data into vector search indexes, which are then integrated into large language models to improve their performance. These pipelines face a decision between batch and real-time processing, each offering distinct advantages: batch processing is efficient and cost-effective for large data volumes but may introduce latency, while real-time processing provides low latency and flexibility but requires significant computational resources. A hybrid approach that combines both methods can provide a versatile solution, allowing systems to dynamically switch between processing modes based on current needs. Ensuring scalability and reliability is essential, which involves designing systems with fault tolerance and horizontal scalability to manage increasing data volumes and computational demands. Ultimately, the decision between processing methods should align with the specific requirements and constraints of the AI applications to maintain cutting-edge performance and efficiency.