Retrieval, Memory & Knowledge
Document QA
Using an LLM to answer questions based on specific uploaded documents.
Definition
Document question answering (QA) is one of the most immediately valuable business applications of LLMs. Upload a contract, report, policy document, or technical manual, and ask questions about its contents in natural language. The model finds and synthesises the relevant information without requiring you to read the whole document. This is useful for contract review, due diligence, policy lookup, and regulatory research.
Why this matters for your business
Document QA can reduce the time a skilled employee spends extracting information from long documents by 70–90%. The key safeguard is verifying the AI's citations against the original source for any decision of consequence.
Related Terms
RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
Combining an LLM with a search system so it can look up current or specific information before responding.
Grounding
Connecting AI outputs to verified real-world information to reduce hallucination.
Semantic Search
Searching by meaning and intent rather than exact keyword matching.
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Disclaimer
This definition is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It represents a general explanation of a technical concept and does not constitute professional, technical, or investment advice. Artificial intelligence is a rapidly evolving field; terminology, techniques, and capabilities change frequently. Coaley Peak Ltd makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information provided. Nothing on this page should be relied upon as the sole basis for commercial, technical, legal, or investment decisions without independent professional advice.
Document reference: ISO_webpage_knowledge-base_glossary_v1
Last modified: 29 March 2026
Knowledge Base·Retrieval, Memory & Knowledge·Document QA