Paul Bryant • 8/4/2026

Hybrid AI Assistant Architecture: When to Use NLU, RAG, Deterministic Flows, and LLMs

This article argues that enterprise assistants should not rely solely on LLMs but instead use a routing architecture that selects the appropriate pattern for each request. It compares NLU for intent classification, deterministic flows for controlled tasks, RAG for grounded knowledge answers, LLMs for flexible language synthesis, and human handoff for high-risk situations. The piece emphasizes risk-based design, where autonomy decreases as impact and irreversibility increase, and provides a routing model to ensure predictability, auditability, and operational control in enterprise environments.

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#Rag #LLM Routing #Hybrid AI Assistant