Pathfinder is an AI-powered platform that combines career guidance with advanced document summarization capabilities. It aims to provide accurate and reliable information to users, leveraging the power of AI without compromising on data integrity.

Find it live at: Pathfinder

Follow these steps to set up Pathfinder on your local machine:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/pathfinder.git
   cd pathfinder
   

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

3. Create a .env.local file in the root directory and add your API key:

   NEXT_PUBLIC_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   

4. Start the development server:

   npm run dev
   

5. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000 to see Pathfinder in action!

Pathfinder was born from the concept of an "Advisor at Your Hands." Our goal was to create an AI chatbot that offers:

• Accurate and reliable career guidance
• Promotion of Penn State Smeal College of Business programs
• Trustworthy information processing without "hallucination"

Pathfinder offers two key functionalities:

1. Career Guidance Chatbot:

   • Explores different career paths
   • Provides personalized advice
   • Offers insights based on individual interests and skills
   • Promotes Penn State Smeal programs

2. RAG Bot for ICDS:

   • Utilizes Retrieval-Augmented Generation
   • Summarizes complex documents
   • Provides accurate responses based on user guides or documentation

• Frontend: Next.js for a dynamic and user-friendly interface
• Backend: Langchain for sophisticated natural language processing and RAG capabilities
• Data Pipelines:
  • Career Advisor: Pulls data from curated internet sources and Smeal program details
  • RAG for ICDS: Multi-step process for retrieving, summarizing, and synthesizing information

• Initial difficulties with Langchain implementation
• Integrating RAG for effective summarization while maintaining context
• Managing token limitations
• Linking frontend and backend due to deprecated libraries and version inconsistencies

• Developed a dual-purpose AI chatbot with high accuracy and reliability
• Successfully implemented RAG techniques for complex document summarization
• Received positive feedback on user-friendliness and value

• Developing AI systems focused on data integrity and user trust
• Implementing RAG techniques for information retrieval and summarization
• Creating scalable AI-driven web applications with Next.js and Langchain
• The importance of iterative, user-centered development

• Expand data sources for career guidance
• Enhance RAG bot's summarization techniques
• Introduce real-time updates to the knowledge base
• Explore machine learning models for more personalized recommendations
• Implement a web scraper for improved user convenience and data integration

Pathfinder aims to become a trusted resource for career advice and data insights, supporting the educational missions of Penn State Smeal and ICDS.