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Explore the debate between traditional retrieval pipelines and agent-powered approaches in this 20-minute conference talk from Qdrant's Vector Space Day 2025. Compare conventional retrieval methods with advanced agent-based systems built using Haystack and Qdrant vector database. Learn to construct a traceable, debuggable agent that strategically plans tool usage, selects optimal retrieval strategies, and provides transparent explanations of its decision-making process. Examine practical performance metrics including latency, accuracy, and robustness through hands-on evaluation against a strong non-agent baseline using a movie dataset stored in Qdrant. Master the art of reading agent traces and develop critical decision-making skills to determine when agent-powered retrieval adds genuine value—particularly for complex multi-step tasks, ambiguous queries, or dynamic toolsets—versus when simpler pipeline approaches prove more effective and efficient.
