A Method for Parsing and Vectorization of Semi-structured Data used in Retrieval Augmented Generation

This paper presents a novel method for parsing and vectorizing semi-structured data to enhance the functionality of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) within Large Language Models (LLMs). We developed a comprehensive pipeline for converting various data formats into .docx, enabling efficient parsing and structured data extraction. The core of our methodology involves the construction of a vector database using Pinecone, which integrates seamlessly with LLMs to provide accurate, context-specific responses, particularly in environmental management and wastewater treatment operations. Through rigorous testing with both English and Chinese texts in diverse document formats, our results demonstrate a marked improvement in the precision and reliability of LLMs outputs. The RAG-enhanced models displayed enhanced ability to generate contextually rich and technically accurate responses, underscoring the potential of vector knowledge bases in significantly boosting the performance of LLMs in specialized domains. This research not only illustrates the effectiveness of our method but also highlights its potential to revolutionize data processing and analysis in environmental sciences, setting a precedent for future advancements in AI-driven applications. Our code is available at https://github.com/linancn/TianGong-AI-Unstructure.git.