Glossary/AI in Marketing/Semantic Search
AI in Marketing
Semantic Search
Search that matches the meaning and intent of a query rather than exact keywords, typically using embeddings.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Semantic search is search that matches the meaning and intent of a query rather than its exact keywords. It typically uses embeddings, numerical representations of text, to find content that is conceptually similar even when wording differs. Semantic search powers AI assistants, site search, and recommendation systems, rewarding content that clearly answers real questions.