Introducing the Next Version of Assistant

This post introduces a revamped version of Assistant with three major enhancements: 1. Specialized modes (Assist and Draft) tailored to different use-cases, leveraging different algorithms and models for specific tasks. 2. Iterative functionality for refining and expanding on initial responses, including free-form follow-up questions in Assist Mode and revisions in Draft Mode with 'Show Edits' for tracking changes. 3. Overarching performance improvements, including a 60% reduction in hallucinations, a 23% improvement in cited source accuracy, an 80% improvement in time to first word, better Excel support, enhanced language fluency, and improved prompt understanding for multiple requests. The underlying advancements are attributed to significant progress in agents, retrieval techniques, and evaluation methods, powered by the latest generation of foundation models.