Explore abstractive summarization

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Abstractive summarization

Abstractive summarization relies on the natural language processing capabilities of generative AI language models, like Azure OpenAI, to create original sentences that capture the main idea of the original content. It generates summarized sentences by paraphrasing and rephrasing the original content. This method allows for more flexibility and creativity, capturing essential information while allowing for concise expression.

Abstractive summarization is accomplished with the summarize_abstractive() function found in the azure_cognitive schema of the azure_ai extension. The azure_cognitive schema contains three overloads of the summarize_abstractive() function. The list of arguments the three function overloads expect include:

Argument	Type	Default	Description
text	text or text[]		The text(s) for which summaries should be generated.
language_text	text or text[]		Language code (or array of language codes) representing the language of the text to summarize. Review the list of supported languages to retrieve the necessary language codes.
sentence_count	integer	3	The number of summary sentences to generate.
batch_size	integer	25	Only for the two overload expecting an input of text[]. Specifies the number of records to process at a time.
disable_service_logs	boolean	false	Flag indicating whether to turn off service logs.
timeout_ms	integer	NULL	Timeout in milliseconds after which the operation is stopped.
throw_on_error	boolean	true	Flag indicating whether the function should, on error, throw an exception resulting in a rollback of the wrapping transaction.
max_attempts	integer	1	Number of times to retry the call to Azure AI Services in the event of a failure.
retry_delay_ms	integer	1000	Amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait before attempting to retry calling the Azure AI Services endpoint.

Each function overload returns an array of sentences (text[]) containing the generated summary.

Generate abstractive summaries for property descriptions

As a developer for Margie's Travel, you want to evaluate the abstractive technique accessible via the azure_ai extension and Azure AI Services and evaluate the ability of the method to generate concise, natural language summaries of lengthy property descriptions, such as this description from the first listing in the database:

"Make yourself at home in this charming one-bedroom apartment, centrally located on the west side of Queen Anne Hill. This elegantly decorated, private apartment (bottom unit of a duplex) has an open floor plan, bamboo floors, a fully equipped kitchen, a TV, DVD player, basic cable, and a cozy bedroom with a queen-size bed. The unit sleeps up to four (two in the bedroom and two on the comfortable fold-out couch, linens included) and includes free Wi-Fi and laundry. The apartment opens onto a private deck, complete with its own barbecue, overlooking a garden and a forest of black bamboo. The Apartment is perfectly located just one block from the bus lines where you can catch a bus and be downtown Seattle in 15 minutes or historic Ballard in 10. A quick five-minute walk brings you to a natural grocery store and coffee shops. Or just take a fifteen-minute walk to the top of Queen Anne Hill where you find various eclectic stores, bars, and restaurants."

You request a two-sentence summary of the above property description using the following query:

SELECT
  azure_cognitive.summarize_abstractive(description, 'en', 2) AS abstractive_summary
FROM listings
WHERE id = 1;

Abstractive summarization returns the two generated sentences:

{
  "The document describes a one-bedroom apartment located on the west side of Queen Anne Hill. The apartment, which is the bottom unit of a duplex, features an open floor plan, bamboo floors, a fully equipped kitchen, a queen-size bed, and a private deck with a BBQ. It is conveniently located near bus lines, historic Ballard, a grocery store, coffee shops, and various shops and restaurants."
}