Using ORCA
What is a Pearl in ORCA Opti?
A Pearl in ORCA Opti is a reusable AI specialist you switch on for a single subject, trained on the Knowledge Packs you give it. Here is what a Pearl is and how it differs from a Workspace and an Agent.
In one sentence: A Pearl in ORCA Opti is a reusable AI specialist, an expert in a single subject that you switch on when you need it, trained on the Knowledge Packs you give it.
Pearls are part of Opti Assist, the working surface of the ORCA Opti platform, and you can share them across your team.
What a Pearl does
A Pearl is a reusable AI skill pack: an expert in one area that you bring in on demand rather than hiring a person for it. You can:
- Run a ready-made Pearl from the ORCA library. Free users can run the library; authoring your own Pearls is a paid capability.
- Create a bespoke Pearl that becomes the expert on something specific to you, such as a particular standard, a tender process, or your grant applications.
Each Pearl has its own model (for example ORCA-Standard or ORCA-Pro), the Knowledge Packs attached to it, and a published or draft version. Because it is trained across the Knowledge Packs you give it, you can ask a Pearl what you would ask your best person in that field, and the answer is grounded in your own material with source citations.
Pearl, Workspace or Agent?
This is the question people ask most, so here it is plainly:
- A Pearl is a reusable AI specialist in a single subject. You switch it on when you need that expertise.
- A Workspace is where an AI teammate does a role over time, with its own instructions, knowledge, tools and schedule. See What is a Workspace in ORCA Opti?
- An Agent is a task runner that carries out a specific job on a manual or scheduled trigger.
You can attach a Pearl to a Workspace, so a role can call on the right specialist when it needs one. The Workspace even inherits the Pearl's Knowledge Packs.
What is a Knowledge Pack?
A Knowledge Pack is the body of knowledge a Pearl, Agent or Workspace reads from: your folders, documents and written content. Sources can be connected by reference, so nothing is copied or moved, and answers cite exactly where they came from, so you can check the source.
What plan do Pearls need?
Running Pearls from the ORCA library is available on the Free plan. Authoring your own Pearls is part of the paid Opti Assist tiers.