Introducing the new AI Chat Plugin

Last November, we introduced our first version of the DokuWiki AI Chat plugin. This tool uses OpenAI's ChatGPT large language models (LLM) to make your wiki more interactive.

The plugin offers a fresh way for users to find information on your wiki, alongside the usual navigation and search options. Users can simply ask questions, just like they would to a colleague, and get the information they need! The plugin uses modern vector-based similarity search techniques to find the right wiki pages and uses them to provide relevant context to the LLM when answering users' questions.

A lot has changed in the world of language models since last year, and we're pleased to announce the release of a new version of the plugin with several improvements reflecting these changes.

The plugin now supports models provided by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Mistral, expanding the choice of chat models from two to eleven. Adding new model providers and models in the future is straightforward. For example, when Google decides to make their Gemini model accessible in Europe, we can easily incorporate it. Additionally, we've begun experimenting with using local or self-hosted models, which could offer future usage options where data sharing with external providers must be avoided entirely.

The decision on which model to use depends on various factors such as speed, reasoning abilities, supported languages, pricing, and the content you're dealing with. There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. We’ve found it’s best to test out the content of the specific wiki and the usual questions users ask to figure out which model mix works best for each case.

In this new release, administrators will discover an expanded array of settings to manage the interaction between the plugin and the language model and how relevant context is selected. Moreover, administrators can now restrict the use of source material by namespace. Users of the Struct Plugin will be pleased to learn that the AI chat plugin will now use struct page data to identify relevant sources.

We've also implemented some minor updates to improve the design and layout of the chat interface. Notably, we've expanded the input area to encourage users to ask longer and more complex questions.

We believe this plugin to be an excellent way to improve the usefulness of your wiki in your organization. It's an easy first step into the new world of AI. If you're interested in implementing the AI Chat plugin in your wiki, please feel free to reach out to us for assistance. We're happy to help!