AKH — Vendor Landscape
Who does what best in AI (2026 map).
The AI world is modular. Models, retrieval, vector databases, orchestration, infrastructure, and governance
are different layers — and different vendors win at different layers. This page keeps you decision-grade.
Use: fast vendor shortlists
Rule: choose by function
Update: keep links fresh
AKH rule: Term pages stay copy-first (portable). Vendor links live on hub pages like this.
Core LLM providers
These are the “brains.” Everything else is how you connect brains to your data, tools, and rules.
LLM
OpenAI
General-purpose models + ecosystem.
Best for: broad useStrength: tooling
LLM
Anthropic
Strong reasoning + safety posture.
Best for: high-stakesStrength: safety
LLM
Google (DeepMind)
Multimodal research + ecosystem reach.
Best for: multimodalStrength: research
Retrieval & RAG stack
These tools connect LLMs to your documents so the model can “look it up” instead of guessing.
RAG
LlamaIndex
RAG pipelines, loaders, indexing, evaluation.
Best for: RAG appsStrength: ingestion
RAG
LangChain
Orchestration layer for retrieval + tools.
Best for: chainingStrength: ecosystem
Search
Perplexity
Retrieval-first AI search experience.
Best for: researchStrength: citations
Vector databases
Where embeddings live. Used for semantic search, RAG retrieval, and similarity matching.
Vector DB
Pinecone
Managed vector database at scale.
Best for: managed scaleStrength: ops
Vector DB
Weaviate
Open-source vector database + hybrid search.
Best for: OSSStrength: flexibility
Vector DB
Qdrant
Fast vector search engine (open-source + managed).
Best for: speedStrength: performance
Internal: Embeddings • Semantic Search • Top-K Retrieval
Agents & orchestration
Tool use + workflows. This is where “chat” becomes “do the job.”
Agents
CrewAI
Multi-agent task execution framework.
Best for: MASStrength: roles
Automation
n8n
Workflow automation with AI integration.
Best for: buildersStrength: control
Automation
Zapier
No-code automation (fast, broad integrations).
Best for: speedStrength: integrations
Infrastructure & compute
Where the horsepower comes from: GPUs, cloud, and managed AI services.
Compute
NVIDIA
GPU compute + AI acceleration.
Best for: GPUsStrength: ecosystem
Cloud
AWS
Cloud infra + managed AI services.
Best for: breadthStrength: scale
Cloud
Azure
Enterprise AI + governance integration.
Best for: enterpriseStrength: compliance
Governance & compliance
Risk controls, audits, and policy layers for regulated environments.
Governance
IBM watsonx.governance
Model risk + governance tooling.
Best for: enterpriseStrength: governance
Consulting
Deloitte
AI risk frameworks + implementation.
Best for: orgsStrength: advisory
Governance
Credo AI
Policy-driven AI oversight.
Best for: governanceStrength: policy
Reminder: This is directional, not endorsement. Vendors change fast. Principles don’t.
