Save time and learn faster with PDF AI applied to your documents. Here’s how to turn simple PDFs into dynamic sources of information in an instant.
Save time and learn faster with PDF AI applied to your documents. Here’s how to turn simple PDFs into dynamic sources of information in an instant.
PDFs have long been an ideal format for storing and sharing static documents. But their strength in preserving information exactly how it was intended has also been their weakness. Until now.
AI-powered optical character recognition (OCR), automated data extraction, and intelligent document processing have turned PDFs into dynamic sources of information. And generative AI algorithms applied to these documents help boost efficiency and free up valuable time for professionals and students alike.
In this article we’ll explore three PDF productivity powers you now have access to thanks to artificial intelligence.
Save Time by Summarizing Long Documents
Imagine you're busy at work and someone shares a 50-page PDF report to read before the meeting. Or maybe you’re a student, and you’ve been assigned four chapters for tomorrow’s class.
No matter how interesting those topics may be, it’s hard to find time to process that much information. Instead of spending hours poring over details you’ll surely forget, you can use generative AI to turn intimidating page-counts into simple bullet-point summaries.
How does it work?
You start by sharing your document with a PDF AI tool. Then, you’ve got all the powers of generative AI built right in.
Here are a few ideas for what to prompt next:
- Summarize the PDF into a list of key bullet points.
- Provide an outline of the chapter with a 1-2 sentence takeaway of each section.
- Condense the document down to a one-page summary.
- Turn the PDF into a list of questions and answers.
Almost magically, that impossible reading assignment is done. Now you have more time to think about what to do with that new knowledge. Or grab a coffee and put up your feet.
Get Answers to Document Questions Without Google
What’s the first thing you do when you don’t know something? For nearly two decades, the process has been clear: google it.
Chat-based AIs, like ChatGPT, provide an alternative. You can ask pretty much anything that comes to mind, and you’ll get a unique answer tailored to you.
The problem with both of these methods is that you need to leave what you’re doing, and move your query over to an app or web browser. We’re used to it, but it’s not the most efficient way.
With AI-powered PDF workflows, you can now get instant answers without leaving your documents. For example:
- A professional at work may see a statistic in a PDF and wonder about the industry baseline. No need to switch to Google—just ask the doc.
- A student may come across a quick reference to the Battle of Hastings and want to know more. Why open ChatGPT, when you can type your question right into the PDF?
Instead of sifting through search results and browsing lengthy articles, PDF AI technology gives you those answers directly where you’re reading.
No more interrupted workflows or shuffling through browser tabs. Just more productive document processing.
Rewrite Entire Paragraphs with a Single Prompt
Imagine someone sends you a PDF document to review. On page 3, you spot a section that needs correction. Or perhaps you want to borrow an idea you read in a PDF, but you first need to put it into different words.
- Option 1: run the PDF through optical character recognition (OCR), then copy-paste the paragraph into a doc, make the correction, and update the PDF.
- Option 2: let PDF AI text recognition automatically extract and rewrite the section with a simple prompt.
AI algorithms for PDFs have OCR built in, so you can skip steps and get straight to editing your PDF.
Even better, you don’t need to rewrite the section manually. AI PDF can do that for you. Just tell it what to update and how. Things like: make it shorter, make it less formal, remove adverbs, improve the formatting, or whatever other adjustments you need.
And if you need to update similar ideas across large documents, AI-powered OCR systems let you search for specific keywords or concepts quickly and efficiently.
PDF Workflows Just Got Smarter
So there you have it. Lightning-fast summaries, instant document insights, and effortless text transformations, all at your fingertips. AI is turning time-consuming PDF processes into effortless productivity hacks.
So what are you going to do with that extra time?
You could learn some PDF AI prompts and turn those long docs into action plans. Or you can just walk into that next meeting knowing you’re ready.
