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How to Summarize PDF Files with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Jun 6, 2024

How to Summarize PDF Files with Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Introduction

  • Overview of using AI tools to summarize and analyze PDF files
  • Focus on Microsoft Co-Pilot and Google Gemini

Microsoft Co-Pilot

Setup

  • Download and install Microsoft Edge browser
  • Open Microsoft Edge browser

Process

  1. Select your PDF file (e.g., White House fact sheet on the Chips Act)
  2. Save your file as a PDF if not already in PDF format
  3. Right-click the PDF file and select "Open with Microsoft Edge"
  4. Click on the Microsoft Co-Pilot icon in the upper right corner, which opens a side panel with a prompt box
  5. Use the prompt box to request a summary (e.g., type "summarize this page" or "outline this page")
  6. Co-Pilot will generate a summary focusing on the open PDF document

Handling Word Documents

  • Convert Word documents to PDF (File > Save As > PDF)
  • Open the converted PDF with Microsoft Edge and use Co-Pilot for analysis

Benefits

  • Easily analyze and summarize PDF files within the browser
  • Can handle various document formats converted into PDF

Google Gemini (Notebook LM)

Setup

Process

  1. Click "New Notebook"
  2. Upload a PDF file (or a text file, or copy and paste text)
  3. After uploading, select the source by checking the box next to it
  4. Type your prompt (e.g., "summarize") in the prompt box at the bottom
  5. Gemini will analyze and provide a summary of the selected source

Additional Features

  • Can add multiple sources (up to 20)
  • Integrates multiple sources into one comprehensive analysis
  • Best for research with multiple documents

Practical Usage

  • Summarizes and outlines text
  • Helps understand the overall structure and key concepts
  • Useful for brainstorming and initial text analysis
  • Not recommended for final product creation due to potential inaccuracies

Saving Results

  • Use the pin feature to save results for future use
  • Copy results into a Word document for future reference

Conclusion

  • Summary of how to leverage AI tools for PDF analysis
  • Emphasis on using these tools for initial understanding and not for final output

Personal Experience

  • Author's use case: AI tools are used on the front end for grasping text and brainstorming, not for final output due to accuracy concerns.

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