This document explains the different AI nodes available on Gumloop and helps you choose the right node for your workflow automation needs.

Why We Have Specialized AI Nodes

While Ask AI is powerful, specialized nodes exist to make automation easier:

  1. Predictable Output Structure

    • Ask AI gives free-form text that needs parsing
    • Specialized nodes give consistent outputs ready for automation
    • Example: Extract Data node always outputs your specified fields, while Ask AI would need complex prompts and parsing
  2. Optimized for Common Tasks

    • Pre-engineered for specific workflows (e.g., Summarizer directly summarizes text without prompt engineering)
    • More reliable than trying to get consistent results from Ask AI
    • Simpler workflow setup

Ask AI Node

For custom tasks needing flexible responses.

Example Use Cases:

1. Dynamic Email Generation Pipeline
Input: Stream of customer inquiries
Prompt: "Write a response to these customer queries about {topic}"
Context: Customer data, company guidelines, product details
Output: Customized responses for each customer

2. Data Transformation Flow
Input: Raw business metrics
Prompt: "Convert this raw data into a quarterly report highlighting key trends"
Context: Previous reports, reporting guidelines
Output: Formatted reports for each dataset

3. Content Localization Workflow
Input: Marketing content in English
Prompt: "Translate and adapt this content for {target_market}"
Context: Cultural guidelines, local preferences
Output: Market-specific content versions

Best For:

  • Workflows needing flexible, custom processing
  • Complex data transformations with varying rules
  • Tasks requiring nuanced understanding
  • Any automation where other nodes are too rigid

Categorizer Node

For reliable, consistent content classification.

Example Use Cases:

1. Support Ticket Processing
Input: Stream of support tickets
Categories: 
- Bug Report: "Issues with existing features"
- Feature Request: "New functionality asks"
- Account: "Login, access, billing issues"
- Security: "Security concerns or breaches"
Output: Category + justification for each ticket
Next Steps: Route to appropriate team, set priorities

2. Content Moderation Pipeline
Input: User-generated content feed
Categories:
- Safe: "Appropriate content"
- Needs Review: "Potentially inappropriate"
- Blocked: "Violates guidelines"
Output: Category for each content piece
Next Steps: Automatic approval/blocking/review routing

3. Email Processing Workflow
Input: Incoming email stream
Categories:
- Sales Lead: "Potential customer inquiries"
- Support: "Existing customer issues"
- Partnership: "Business collaboration requests"
- Other: "General inquiries"
Output: Category per email
Next Steps: Route to appropriate department, trigger responses

Best For:

  • Automated content routing systems
  • Large-scale data classification
  • Real-time sorting and filtering
  • Any workflow needing reliable categorization

Extract Data Node

For pulling specific information from text.

Example Use Cases:

1. Invoice Processing Pipeline
Input: Stream of invoices
Fields to Extract:
- Invoice Number
- Date
- Amount
- Company Name
- Due Date
Output: Structured data for each field
Next Steps: Update accounting system, trigger payments

2. Resume Processing Workflow
Input: Batch of resumes
Fields to Extract:
- Name
- Email
- Skills
- Experience (years)
- Education
Output: Structured candidate data
Next Steps: Match to job openings, schedule interviews

3. Product Review Analysis
Input: Customer reviews feed
Fields to Extract:
- Product Name
- Rating
- Pros
- Cons
- Feature Mentions
Output: Structured review data
Next Steps: Update product analytics, trigger alerts

Best For:

  • Automated data extraction pipelines
  • Form and document processing
  • Structured data generation
  • Converting unstructured text to data
  • Regular information extraction tasks

Extract to Table Node

For automated spreadsheet population.

Example Use Cases:

1. Lead Management System
Input: Various lead sources (forms, emails, calls)
Sheet Structure:
| Date | Name | Email | Source | Interest | Status |
Output: Populated rows for each lead
Next Steps: Lead scoring, sales assignments

2. Inventory Tracking
Input: Product updates, stock alerts
Sheet Structure:
| SKU | Location | Quantity | Last Updated | Reorder Status |
Output: Updated inventory rows
Next Steps: Reorder triggers, status reports

3. Event Registration Processing
Input: Registration forms, email RSVPs
Sheet Structure:
| Event | Attendee | Email | Ticket Type | Special Needs |
Output: Attendee list rows
Next Steps: Send confirmations, plan logistics

Best For:

  • Automated record keeping
  • Database population flows
  • Report generation pipelines
  • Any process needing spreadsheet updates

Summarizer Node

For consistent content condensation.

Example Use Cases:

1. News Digest Automation
Input: Stream of news articles
Output: Concise summaries
Next Steps: Newsletter generation, alert system

2. Meeting Notes Processing
Input: Transcription feeds
Output: Key points and action items
Next Steps: Task creation, update tracking

3. Research Report Analysis
Input: Technical documents
Output: Executive summaries
Next Steps: Knowledge base updates, notifications

Best For:

  • Content digest automation
  • Document processing pipelines
  • Any workflow needing shorter content versions

Scorer Node

For standardized evaluation processes.

Example Use Cases:

1. Customer Service Evaluation
Input: Stream of support conversations
Criteria:
- Solution Quality (0-40): Effectiveness of resolution
- Communication (0-30): Clarity and professionalism
- Efficiency (0-30): Response time and conciseness
Output: Score + justification per conversation
Next Steps: Performance tracking, training recommendations

2. Content Quality Assessment
Input: Stream of articles/posts
Criteria:
- Research Quality (0-40): Depth and accuracy
- Writing Style (0-30): Clarity and engagement
- SEO Optimization (0-30): Keywords and structure
Output: Score + breakdown per piece
Next Steps: Publishing decisions, improvement requests

3. Product Review Analysis
Input: Customer reviews feed
Criteria:
- Product Satisfaction (0-40)
- Value for Money (0-30)
- Customer Service (0-30)
Output: Numerical scores + justification
Next Steps: Product improvements, service adjustments

Best For:

  • Quality control automation
  • Performance monitoring systems
  • Automated assessments
  • Compliance checking
  • Any process needing numerical evaluation

Analyze Video Node

For automated video content processing.

Example Use Cases:

1. Product Demo Processing
Input: Stream of product demonstration videos
Prompt: "Extract key features and specs demonstrated"
Output: Detailed feature lists per video
Next Steps: Update product docs, create timestamps

2. Training Video Analysis
Input: Educational content videos
Prompt: "List all steps and procedures shown"
Output: Step-by-step process documentation
Next Steps: Create guides, update knowledge base

3. Content Moderation Flow
Input: User-generated video content
Prompt: "Identify any inappropriate content or safety concerns"
Output: Content analysis and flag recommendations
Next Steps: Approval/rejection, creator notifications

4. Social Media Video Processing
Input: Marketing video content
Prompt: "Extract key messages and calls to action"
Output: Content highlights and engagement points
Next Steps: Generate descriptions, tag content

Best For:

  • Video content management systems
  • Training material processing
  • Moderation workflows
  • Marketing content analysis
  • Any automation needing video understanding

Analyze Image Node

For automated image content processing.

Example Use Cases:

1. Document Processing Pipeline
Input: Stream of scanned documents
Prompt: "Extract all text and form fields"
Output: Extracted text and data
Next Steps: Database updates, verification workflows

2. Product Photo Analysis
Input: E-commerce product images
Prompt: "Describe product features and characteristics"
Output: Detailed product descriptions
Next Steps: Catalog updates, listing generation

3. Social Media Monitoring
Input: Brand-related image feed
Prompt: "Identify our products and how they're being used"
Output: Product usage analysis
Next Steps: Engagement tracking, trend analysis

4. Real Estate Listing Processing
Input: Property photo sets
Prompt: "List visible amenities and property features"
Output: Property feature descriptions
Next Steps: Listing updates, property comparisons

Best For:

  • Document digitization workflows
  • Image catalog management
  • Visual content monitoring
  • Any process needing image understanding

The key to successful automation is choosing the right combination of nodes for your workflow. Start with specialized nodes for common tasks, and use Ask AI for unique requirements that don’t fit standard patterns.

Comparison: Ask AI vs. Specialized Nodes

Support Ticket Processing Example:

Ask AI Approach:
Prompt: "Categorize this ticket and extract priority level"
Problems:
- Need complex prompting for consistent format
- Requires parsing to extract category
- May need multiple runs for consistent results

Categorizer Node Approach:
Input: Same ticket
Output: Direct category + justification
Benefits:
- Consistent output format
- Single step process
- Ready for automation
- More reliable for high-volume processing

Contact Information Extraction Example:

Ask AI Approach:
Prompt: "Extract name, email, and phone number from this text. Format as Name: [name], Email: [email], Phone: [phone]"
Problems:
- Need to specify exact output format
- Requires parsing structured text response
- Format might vary between runs
- May miss fields or include extra information

Extract Data Node Approach:
Input: Text + Field definitions (name, email, phone)
Output: Direct field values in consistent format
Benefits:
- Guaranteed field extraction
- No parsing needed
- Consistent missing field handling
- Ready for database insertion

Content Quality Scoring Example:

Ask AI Approach:
Prompt: "Rate this content from 0-100 on clarity (0-40), accuracy (0-30), and style (0-30). Provide scores and explanation."
Problems:
- Need to parse numerical scores from text
- Scoring might be inconsistent
- May need to validate score ranges
- Complex prompt to maintain scoring criteria

Scorer Node Approach:
Input: Content + Scoring criteria
Output: Direct numerical score + justification
Benefits:
- Guaranteed numerical output
- Consistent scoring criteria
- Built-in score validation
- Ready for analytics/reporting

Remember: Choose specialized nodes for common, repeated tasks where consistent output format matters. Use Ask AI when you need more flexibility or have unique requirements that don’t fit other nodes.