techniques
Deep Probe
Querying the REAL answer engines (vs simulating retrieval logic) using BYOK API keys.
Definition
A Deep Probe is a real-engine query — the tool actually calls OpenAI/Anthropic/Perplexity APIs using the user's BYOK keys and captures actual citations. Distinct from a simulated probe (like VectorCite's Mirror Engine) which reproduces the retrieval ensemble math but doesn't query the live engines. Deep Probes are paid per-call but give ground-truth citation data.
Example
VectorCite's Mirror Engine simulates: score = α·cosine + β·BM25 + γ·authority + δ·recency. Deep Probe at /app/byok hits POST api.openai.com/v1/responses with web_search_preview, returns actual ChatGPT citations.How to optimize
Use Mirror Engine for fast, free iterations. Use Deep Probe to ground-truth-verify before client reports. Combine both — Mirror Engine to identify gaps, Deep Probe to confirm citation impact after fixes ship.