What it is
A technique that makes AI smarter by fetching relevant information from your data before generating a response. The AI "looks it up" instead of guessing.
Why it matters
LLMs have knowledge cutoffs and can hallucinate. RAG grounds them in your actual data - knowledge bases, documents, CRM records - so responses are accurate and current. It's how Agentforce knows about YOUR customers, not just generic information.
How it works
- User asks question
- System searches your data for relevant info
- Relevant info + question sent to LLM
- LLM generates informed response
Related terms
LLM (Large Language Model)
The AI technology behind ChatGPT, Claude, and the intelligence in Agentforce. Trained on massive amounts of text to understand and generate human language.
Data 360 (formerly Data Cloud)
Salesforce's real-time data platform that unifies customer data from any source into a single customer profile. Rebranded from Data Cloud at Dreamforce 2025.
AI Agent
An autonomous AI system that can perceive its environment, make decisions, and take actions to achieve specific goals - without constant human direction.