Introducing multimodal retrieval for Amazon Bedrock Knowledge Bases
- •Amazon Bedrock Knowledge Bases now supports multimodal retrieval for video and audio content.
- •Amazon Nova Multimodal Embeddings enables cross-modal search using a unified vector space.
- •New Bedrock Data Automation converts multimedia to text for precise speech-based information retrieval.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has expanded the capabilities of its Amazon Bedrock Knowledge Bases, introducing general availability for multimodal retrieval. This update allows enterprises to move beyond text and static images, integrating video and audio files directly into their RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) workflows. Instead of relying on complex custom pipelines, users can now index a wider array of formats—including recorded meetings, product demos, and instructional footage—within a single, fully managed service. At the heart of this launch is the Amazon Nova Multimodal Embeddings model, which creates a shared vector space (a mathematical representation where similar items are grouped together) for different media types. This unified approach facilitates cross-modal search, where a user can upload a reference image to find a specific scene in a video or use a text description to locate visually similar products in a catalog. For scenarios requiring high verbatim accuracy, such as legal compliance or call center analysis, the service offers an alternative path through Bedrock Data Automation. This feature translates multimedia into rich text descriptions and detailed transcripts before they are embedded. To improve usability, Bedrock Knowledge Bases automates the parsing and chunking of video and audio into searchable segments of 5 to 30 seconds. Each segment maintains metadata with exact timestamps, allowing applications to jump directly to relevant moments in the source footage. This streamlining of the RAG pipeline significantly lowers the barrier for developers looking to build sophisticated AI assistants that understand and retrieve information from the vast, multi-format data silos common in modern businesses.