Rize Technologies says its Bermuda-focused artificial intelligence platform relies on a proprietary local knowledge system rather than generic AI models, as the company revealed more details about the technology behind Compass AI following its recent launch.

The company said roughly three quarters of Compass queries are answered through a curated Bermuda-specific database and retrieval system designed to be more accurate than other large AI models.

Gilbert Darrell, founder and chief executive of Rize Technologies, said the company built Compass around a hybrid architecture combining human verification with automated review tools.

“We use our own retrieval layer — curated knowledge plus semantic vector search across thousands of Bermuda-specific data points — and only call generic LLMs as a fallback for novel queries,” Mr Darrell said.

The company said its system does nightly automated review cycles in which AI agents flag stale or inaccurate information, alongside weekly checks against government and news sources and daily monitoring for civic changes.

Mr Darrell said the platform had autonomously detected events including Hamilton’s recent mayoral election and Bermuda’s April 2024 bus fare increase.

Compass was launched this month as a free web and WhatsApp-based guide intended to answer Bermuda-specific questions about transport, businesses, services and local information.

Rize said the platform was designed to avoid a common criticism of AI systems confidently presenting incorrect information.

“Compass is built to say ‘I don’t have that’ rather than guess,” Mr Darrell said.

The company also disclosed more details about its long-term business plans, saying the service will remain free for users and generate revenue through sponsored placements and verified business listings.

Mr Darrell said the Digital Finance Forum had already been featured as a sponsor and described Compass as both a public-facing service and a demonstration of Rize’s broader AI capabilities.