SpaceGuides/Updated 2026-10-21
AI summarize RFC
AI summarize RFC fails when the only instruction is “summarize.” Name the output: five executive bullets, a section outline, risks that cite a heading, and actions for a specific role. Put that ask above the RFC text.
- 1. Write the output contract first. Exec summary, outline, risks, and this-week actions. Say who the actions are for.
- 2. Paste the RFC under that contract. Keep headings. Drop changelog noise and appendices that do not change a decision.
- 3. Require citations. Each risk or action must name a section header from the paste. If it is not in the doc, the model should say not specified.
- 4. Check credits, then send. Input length dominates cost. The playground shows the estimate and caps a single request around 100k tokens.
Give the model a job, not a dump
An RFC summary people can forward is shorter than the source and tied to headings you can check. Ask for: (1) five executive bullets, (2) a section outline, (3) risks and open questions, (4) actions for an eng lead this week. The Spacebunny demo “Long doc → summary” uses a sample credit-metering RFC so you can see that shape before you swap in your own text.
If citations drift off your headings, the model is improvising. Shorten the paste or ask again for grounded bullets only.
What to cut before you paste
Long document summary cost is almost all input tokens. Cutting duplicate changelogs and binary tables saves more than switching models. Keep the decision sections, the API shape, and the open questions.
- Keep numbered sections and headings — they are the citation anchors.
- Drop status history that does not change the proposal.
- For a packet of files, paste a table of contents, then the three to ten sections that matter, then repeat the question.
- Do not paste credentials, customer data, or unreleased security details.
After the summary
Export the reply to Markdown when it is good enough for a design review. If the next task is a bug in the implementation, switch to paste stack trace AI instead of asking the summary thread to also write a patch.
Questions
How do I use AI to summarize an RFC?
Put a four-part output contract above the RFC: exec bullets, outline, cited risks, and actions for a named role. Then paste the document with its headings intact.
How long an RFC can I paste?
This playground hard-caps each request around 100k tokens. Trim appendices first. 1 credit equals 100 tokens, and the estimate shows before you send.
Will the summary invent product facts?
It can. Require each risk to cite a section header, and tell the model to say not specified when the RFC is silent.