Why weights are often counterproductive in ranking

Search is a complex problem that requires different configurations for each step. The main challenge in the retrieval phase is to ensure all potentially relevant records are found, while the ranking phase involves merging signals together to order results. Weights or boosts have been used as a solution to these challenges but can be dangerous and counterproductive when set manually. Instead of setting weights manually, it's better to give a "hint" to an AI algorithm that will optimize the weight automatically and constantly. Automating the process using machine learning algorithms is more effective than manual configuration, as it adapts to different contexts and queries.