Category: AI Search & Retrieval
Definition
Query Routing is the process of determining which search method, data source, tool, or retrieval system should be used to answer a user’s query.
Instead of sending every question through the same retrieval process, an AI system can analyze the query and route it to the source or method most likely to provide a useful answer.
Why It Matters
Different questions require different types of information.
For example:
- A current news question may require web search.
- A product question may require a product database.
- A company-specific question may require a private knowledge base.
- A mathematical question may require a calculation tool.
- A conversational question may not require external retrieval at all.
Query routing helps AI systems choose the appropriate path.
Example
A user asks:
“What is the current price of Product X?”
The AI system may route the query to a live product or web search rather than relying on information stored in its general knowledge.
If the user instead asks:
“How do I reset my company’s internal account?”
the system may route the query to the organization’s private knowledge base.
Query Routing vs. Query Decomposition
Query routing determines where or how a query should be handled.
Query decomposition breaks a complex query into smaller sub-queries.
They can also work together.
For example, an AI system might first decompose a question into several sub-queries and then route each one to a different source.
Why Query Routing Matters for AI Visibility
A brand can only be discovered in an AI response if the system’s retrieval or routing process reaches information about that brand.
This means AI visibility can extend beyond traditional web search. Brands may need to be represented across the sources, databases, platforms, and knowledge systems that AI search can access.
Related Terms
Query Decomposition · Query Understanding · Query Expansion · Retrieval · Semantic Search · RAG · Search Routing · AI Search
In Simple Terms
Query Routing is how an AI system decides where to look and which method to use when finding information for a user’s question.
