Create an AI Agent for Document Interaction with n8n

Imagine being able to interact with any document through a chat interface, asking questions, and receiving instant answers without sifting through pages of text. This is the power of AI agents, and with the right setup, you can achieve this using n8n. In this guide, we’ll walk you through creating an AI agent that leverages Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to provide responses based on your uploaded documents.

Understanding Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)

Before diving into the setup, it’s essential to grasp the concept of RAG. In simple terms, RAG combines the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) with external databases. This allows the model to retrieve information from a specified source and generate responses based on that data.

For instance, if a user queries the AI agent about a specific policy, and the model lacks that information in its training data, it can search through a designated database, acquire the relevant data, and then return an answer. This retrieval and augmentation process makes RAG highly effective for situations where precise and relevant information is required.

Use Cases for AI Agents

The versatility of AI agents opens the door to numerous applications. Here are a few examples:

• Employee Onboarding: New hires can ask questions about company policies and procedures, receiving accurate and immediate feedback.
• Product Information: E-commerce teams can answer customer inquiries about products, such as specifications and availability, in real-time.
• Mental Health Support: A chatbot can provide resources and guidance based on mental health documents, offering timely support.
• Financial Query Resolution: Employees can interact with their company’s financial documents, asking questions related to budgets, expenses, and more.

Setting Up Your AI Agent in n8n

Now that we have a clear understanding of what an AI agent can do, let’s get started with the setup in n8n. We will create a workflow that allows you to upload documents to Google Drive and interact with them through Telegram.

Step 1: Create Your Telegram Bot

The first step is to set up a Telegram bot that will serve as the interface for your AI agent. To do this, follow these simple steps:

1. Open Telegram and search for BotFather, the official bot for managing other bots.
2. Start a chat with BotFather and use the command /newbot to create a new bot.
3. Choose a name and a username for your bot. The username must end with bot.
4. Once created, BotFather will provide you with a token. Save this token; it will be necessary for connecting your bot to n8n.

Step 2: Connect Telegram to n8n

Now that you have your bot set up, it’s time to connect it to n8n. Here’s how:

1. Log in to your n8n account and create a new workflow.
2. Add a Telegram Trigger node to your workflow. This node listens for incoming messages from your bot.
3. In the node settings, enter the token you received from BotFather to authenticate your bot.
4. Set the trigger mode to listen for new messages.

Step 3: Design the RAG System

With the Telegram bot connected, it’s time to implement the RAG system. This involves creating nodes that will allow your AI agent to retrieve information from the documents you upload.

• Chatbot Automation: This node will handle incoming queries and provide responses based on the retrieved data.
• Document Upload Trigger: Set up a trigger node for Google Drive. This node will activate whenever a new file is added to a specified folder.
• Vector Database Connection: Connect to a vector database like Supabase or Pinecone. This will store the embeddings of your documents.
• Text Splitter Node: This node will break down the uploaded documents into manageable chunks for efficient processing.

Uploading Documents to Google Drive

To ensure your AI agent has the necessary data to respond to queries, you need to upload your documents to Google Drive. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Create a folder in Google Drive where you will store all relevant documents.
2. In n8n, add a Google Drive Trigger node that listens for new files added to this folder.
3. Configure the trigger to capture the file ID and download the document automatically.

Transforming Text into Embeddings

Once your document is uploaded, the next step is to convert the text into embeddings for the vector database. This process allows the AI agent to perform similarity searches and retrieve relevant information accurately.

1. Add a Text Conversion Node to transform the document text into a format suitable for embedding.
2. Connect this node to the vector database to store the embeddings.
3. Ensure that the embeddings capture the semantic meaning of the text, allowing for effective retrieval.

Testing Your AI Agent

With everything set up, it’s time to test your AI agent. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Go to your Telegram bot and send a message, like, “What is the leave policy?”
2. Monitor the n8n workflow to see how it processes the message and retrieves the relevant information from the vector database.
3. The AI agent should respond with the pertinent details from your uploaded documents.

Updating the Knowledge Base

To keep your AI agent current, you’ll want to update the knowledge base whenever changes are made to the documents in Google Drive. Here’s how:

1. Set up an additional Google Drive trigger to monitor updates to existing files.
2. When a file is modified, the corresponding entries in the vector database should be updated or deleted.
3. This ensures that your AI agent always has access to the most relevant and accurate information.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve now built an AI agent capable of interacting with your documents through Telegram. This setup allows for seamless communication and access to valuable information, transforming how you manage and retrieve data. With RAG, the possibilities are endless—consider how you can adapt this system for various applications in your business.

For further resources and templates, check the links below to enhance your AI agent’s functionality:

• Access the n8n templates
• Tutorial on RAG for beginners

Let’s harness the power of AI and automation to streamline our workflows and enhance productivity!