Faced with the growing volume of scientific output, quickly and accurately identifying what is most relevant has become one of the main challenges for researchers, health professionals and managers. Aware of this need, BIREME/PAHO/WHO has developed Super Summaries – a solution based on artificial intelligence (AI) that synthesizes scientific articles and other texts into a few words, highlighting their main findings and facilitating the use of evidence in decision-making.
Below there is information on how the technology was implemented, the expected impacts and the main lessons learned in the process of creating the tool.
The Super Summaries are a solution developed by BIREME to disseminate scientific information in a more accessible and faster way. It is generated from the original abstract of scientific texts, but in a much more synthetic way, with around 30 to 60 words, and highlights the main points of the original content. The aim is to facilitate access to health information, especially for researchers, professionals and managers who need to make quick decisions. It doesn’t replace the article but serves to direct the reader’s eye to what is most relevant.
The technological basis of Super Summaries is a large-scale language model, Llama 3B, which has around three billion parameters. It is a reduced and specialized version, i.e. fine-tuned for the context, allowing the system to run on BIREME’s own servers, which is important to keep the cost of the project viable. Prompt engineering was used to ensure that the summaries are objective and respect length and accuracy criteria. In addition, the “temperature” of the model was adjusted, which is a technical parameter that controls the level of creativity, to avoid the so-called “hallucinations” of the model and keep the answers in the proper context.
The Super Summaries are now available for the records in the Mosaico database in the Virtual Health Library (VHL). The data is being processed in batches, so every day more articles receive this functional version and can be checked out in “super summary” form. The system works in an automated way: it receives the article identifier and the original abstract, and from there it generates the Super Summaries and returns it to the database. There is potential here to greatly extend the reach of the tool and make life easier for users who need to find scientific evidence quickly and safely.
Francisco Barbosa Júnior, AI Specialist at BIREME’s Development Management (DEV), who contributed to this text, highlighted some of the challenges faced:
“The first major challenge was to adapt a language model to run on the digital infrastructure available at BIREME. We also needed to guarantee the scientific quality of the abstracts – and this was a critical point. LLMs, by their nature, run the risk of “hallucinating”, i.e., making up information. That’s why we invested heavily in fine-tuning and prompt engineering. Another challenge was to ensure the sustainability of the product. Innovation is great, but it’s essential that the solution remains viable over time. That’s why Super Summary is a constantly evolving project – BIREME keeps looking for ways to make it faster and more efficient.”
Digital Frontiers at BIREME
The creation of Super Summaries reflects BIREME’s commitment to responsible innovation and the incorporation of advanced technologies at the service of scientific health information. As part of the cross-cutting area of Digital Frontiers, this initiative represents a concrete example of how digital transformation can be applied in a practical and sustainable way to expand access and the use of evidence in health decision-making.
João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME, emphasizes: “Digital transformation is a global, accelerated and profound phenomenon that impacts all aspects of the human experience. Its central axis is a cultural shift that leads us to a world shaped by digital interactions, driven by innovation and the incorporation of advanced technologies. At BIREME, we have worked to keep our products at the forefront of this digital frontier, with the aim of expanding access to and use of scientific and technical health information, promoting the well-being of the population.”
Super Summaries and other digital frontier products (as well as DeCS Finder IA) are now available in the Virtual Health Library.
Further information
DeCS Finder AI optimizes indexing of health scientific texts – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin
AI advancements on BIREME’s Products and Services – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin
BIREME presents AI innovations at global meetings – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin