The Retrieval Abstraction Layer: Why RAG Tooling Decides Agency AI Margins

Clients now buy grounded, source-cited AI outputs, and the retrieval layer is where that promise is kept or broken. Agencies that treat RAG tooling as a swappable commodity behind their own evaluation harness can re-bid retrieval quality as benchmarks move; agencies that hard-wire one context engine inherit its pricing and its accuracy ceiling on every retainer.