1 minute readReference note
What is the difference between AI training knowledge and live retrieval?
In brief
Training and retrieval are different routes by which information can affect an AI answer. Training changes a model through a separate learning process. Retrieval brings selected outside material into the context of a particular request. A source correction can change available retrieval evidence without rewriting a model's learned parameters.
For ORM, identify the information paths the tested product exposes. Record search or tool use, source versions where available, the full answer, and the supplied conversation context. A conversation correction can change the evidence available in that exchange. A retrieved page can coexist with learned historical knowledge, and relevant sources can contribute without being displayed as citations.
Strengthen the broader factual environment: current reference assets, consistent entity records, accurate public profiles, and useful independent or discussion context. Test the affected claims in fresh sessions and compare source changes with output changes. OpenAI documents separate search and potential-training crawler controls, illustrating why those access routes should be assessed distinctly. The practical diagnosis is which facts or source relationships need work, while the observed result shows how the current product represents them.