Simplescraper

Enhance scraped data with AI ​

When you scrape data there is often another step: cleaning it up, or pulling out the part you need, such as an email buried in page text or a remote-work policy in a job description. AI Enhance columns do this for you automatically.

AI Enhance can:

  • Summarize long text into a line or two
  • Extract one detail, such as an email or a price
  • Answer yes or no to your question, such as "Is this job remote?"
  • Sort each row into one of your categories
  • Follow your own instruction, such as cleaning up a title

Each answer goes into a new column of your results, called an AI column, with one answer for every row. Your scraped data is never changed.

Run the recipe once first

AI Enhance works on data that is already scraped, so the recipe needs at least one run. It doesn't need a full run: click 'Test' on the recipe page to scrape a single page, and AI Enhance can use those rows.

The AI Enhance panel open beside a recipe's results, adding an is_remote column that checks whether each job allows remote work

What each type of AI column does ​

The examples below use a recipe that scrapes job listings.

A Summarize column writes a short summary of the properties you choose.

  • Reads job_description, a 600-word posting, with 'Length' set to 'Two bullets'
  • Writes 'Builds data pipelines for the billing team' and 'Owns reporting for finance and sales'

An Extract details column finds one detail in each row and writes it to the column.

  • Reads job_description and asks for 'The email address to apply to'
  • Writes 'careers@example.com'

A Yes or no column answers one question about each row.

  • Reads job_title and locations and asks 'Does this job allow remote work?'
  • Writes 'Yes' for a job in 'Remote - US' and 'No' for a job in 'Austin, TX'

A Categorize column puts each row in one of the categories you list and never invents another.

  • Reads department with the categories 'Engineering', 'Research' and 'Sales'
  • Writes 'Engineering' for 'Applied AI Engineering' and 'Sales' for 'Technical Success'

Yes or no and Categorize columns have a 'Confidence' setting, 0.5 by default, for how sure the AI must be before it writes an answer: raise it when a wrong answer costs you more than a missing one.

The Yes or no settings with job_title and locations ticked under Properties to include and Confidence at 0.5

A Custom instruction column follows your own instruction for every row.

  • Reads job_title and follows 'Spell out abbreviations in the title'
  • Writes 'Senior Software Engineer (Payments)' for 'Sr. Software Engineer (Payments)'

Add an AI column ​

  1. In the Simplescraper dashboard, open a recipe's 'Results' tab and click 'AI Enhance' above the table.

  2. Pick a starting point from the list, or click 'New AI column' if the recipe already has one.

    The empty AI Enhance panel listing five starting points: Summarize, Extract details, Yes or no, Categorize and Write your own instruction

  3. Type a name such as is_remote in 'New AI column name', fill in the column type's fields and tick the properties the AI should read under 'Properties to include'.

  4. Click 'Preview on 3 rows' to check the answers.

  5. Click 'Save', or 'Save and run' to fill the column for every row now.

To fill the column every time the recipe runs, including scheduled runs, set 'When it runs' to 'After each scrape' before you save.

Credits ​

AI Enhance uses 1 credit per 500 words, counting the data it reads plus the answer it writes. The panel shows an estimate before you preview or run.

AI columns in your integrations ​

  • Google Sheets: the new column is added to the right of your existing columns.
  • Email: AI columns are included unless you switch one off in the email panel.
  • Airtable: switch the column on in the Airtable panel and add a field with the same name to your table. Without that field, the column is skipped, every other field still arrives and the panel says which field was skipped.

What AI Enhance cannot do ​

AI Enhance reads only the data already in each row, so it can't click, open links, move to the next page or search the web.

FAQ ​

Does AI Enhance change my scraped data? ​

No. Each AI column writes only to its own column, and deleting a column keeps the values it already wrote.

What happens when a row doesn't contain the answer? ​

It depends on the column type:

  • Summarize and Custom instruction: the cell stays empty.
  • Extract details: the cell follows the 'If the detail is not there' setting, 'Leave empty' or "Write 'Not stated'".
  • Yes or no: the column always answers, writing 'No' or 'false' depending on 'Answer as'.
  • Categorize: every row is matched to the closest category you listed, and the cell stays empty when that category does not reach the 'Confidence' setting. To keep rows that fit none of your categories apart, add a category such as 'Other'.

How many AI columns can a recipe have? ​

Up to 10.

What happens to my older AI Enhance setup? ​

It keeps working as before. It appears first in the panel's list, marked 'Legacy'.

For questions or help, reach out via chat.