Deconstructing the text embedding models

Abstract

Selecting the optimal text embedding model is often guided by benchmarks such as the Massive Text Embedding Benchmark (MTEB). While choosing the best model from the leaderboard is a common practice, it may not always align perfectly with the unique characteristics of your specific dataset. This approach overlooks a crucial yet frequently underestimated element - the tokenizer.

We will delve deep into the tokenizer’s fundamental role, shedding light on its operations and introducing straightforward techniques to assess whether a particular model is suited to your data based solely on its tokenizer. We will explore the significance of the tokenizer in the fine-tuning process of embedding models and discuss strategic approaches to optimize its effectiveness.

Resources