Gating

Gating is the traffic control system of modern AI architecture, including features like Google’s AI Mode. In mixture of experts (MoE) systems, a gating network acts like a smart dispatcher, instantly analyzing incoming requests and routing them to the most appropriate specialized sub-model or "expert." Within this framework, “experts” can either complete tasks, like coding or mathematics; or provide information on niche topics like gardening or jujitsu.

Just like a hospital triage nurse who knows whether to send a patient to cardiology or orthopedics based on their symptoms, the gating mechanism determines which expert model should handle each task—whether that's processing images, understanding text, or crunching numbers.

This selective routing means AI systems don't waste computational power by throwing their full processing might at simple tasks, while complex problems get the specialized attention they need. The result is faster, more accurate and more cost-effective AI that adapts its approach based on what you're asking it to do.

Gating also enables continuous learning and refinement by monitoring expert performance to ensure that the right models evolve for the right tasks over time. As AI grows more complex, this approach helps maintain efficiency, scalability, and adaptability so that modern systems are powerful, resource-aware, and context-sensitive in their operations.