Accurate transcriptions are the cornerstone of effective communication, and the choice between AI transcription vs. human transcription has become a pivotal decision that you may have to make.
Both of these transcription methods have their unique benefits, making them an ideal choice depending on various factors. Moreover, they both have drawbacks, which may make you want to choose one over the other.
This post extensively looks at these two solutions, helping you to pick the right one by highlighting:
- All you need to know about human transcription;
- What AI transcription is;
- Pros and cons of each solution;
- How to pick the right transcription method based on your needs.
What is Human Transcription?
Human transcription is the process of converting audio or video files into written text by a professional transcriber. The transcriber listens to the audio file and types out the words they hear.
This type of transcription heavily relies on the expertise, linguistic capabilities, and contextual understanding of humans to produce accurate transcripts.
Fortunately, when you want to go for human transcriptionists, you can get professionals who can understand different accents, dialects, and languages. They can also identify speakers and add punctuation marks to make the text more readable.
So, when exactly should you go for human transcriptionists?
Human transcription is ideally more convenient for audio files that require high accuracy, attention to detail, and an understanding of language nuances. It is especially useful for legal, medical, or technical documents that require precision. Human transcriptionists can comprehend the context of the conversation and identify words that may be difficult for AI to recognize.
How Does Human Transcription Work?
Human transcription is a pretty straightforward process that typically involves:
- Listening and transcribing: Human transcriptionists carefully listen to the audio or video content and transcribe it into written form.
- Contextual understanding: Transcriptionists can grasp context, nuances, accents, and dialects, which is crucial for accurately transcribing content involving complex technical terms, industry jargon, or slang.
- Quality control: Many human transcription services incorporate quality control measures, including proofreading and editing, to maintain high levels of accuracy and consistency in the final transcript.
Pros of Human Transcription
Here are some reasons why you may consider this solution in the AI transcription vs. human transcription debate:
- Accuracy: Human transcriptionists can comprehend the context of the conversation and identify words that may be difficult for AI to recognize.
- Attention to detail: Human transcriptionists can add punctuation marks to make the text more readable.
- Understanding of language nuances: Human transcriptionists are trained to understand different accents, dialects, and languages.
- Customization: Transcripts can be customized to meet specific formatting or style requirements, making them suitable for various purposes.
Cons of Human Transcription
Some of the reasons that may make you not to go for human transcription are:
- Time-consuming: It can take several hours or even days to transcribe a long audio file. This may result in longer turnaround times.
- Expensive: Human transcription can be costly compared to AI transcription due to the manual labor involved.
- Subjectivity: Transcriptions may contain slight variations based on the transcriptionist’s interpretation. However, when using experienced professionals, this can be minimized.
What is AI Transcription?
AI transcription, also known as automated transcription, is a process in which artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms convert spoken language from audio or video recordings into written text.
This technology has gained prominence in recent years due to its ability to rapidly transcribe large volumes of content with minimal human intervention. It eliminates the need for manual note-taking by allowing you to “employ” the transcription software to listen to conversations or audio or video files and translate them seamlessly into texts.
How Does AI Transcription Work?
AI transcription basically uses machine learning algorithms to recognize speech patterns and convert them into written words. Here are the main components involved in AI transcription:
- Speech recognition: AI transcription systems use advanced speech recognition technology to convert spoken words into text. These systems are trained on vast datasets of audio recordings to recognize and interpret various accents, languages, and dialects.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): After transcribing the speech, AI systems often employ natural language processing algorithms to enhance accuracy. NLP helps in understanding context, sentence structure, and language nuances.
- Text generation: The transcribed text is generated and formatted into a readable document. Many AI transcription tools allow users to edit and refine the output for greater accuracy.
Pros of AI Transcription
Some of the key benefits of using AI transcription include:
- Speed and efficiency: ASR transcription can process large volumes of audio or video content in a fraction of the time it would take a human transcriber. This rapid turnaround is ideal for businesses with time-sensitive transcription needs.
- Cost-effective: AI transcription services are generally more budget-friendly than human transcription, making them a cost-effective choice for those with limited resources or extensive transcription requirements.
- Consistency: AI transcription systems provide consistent results, reducing the likelihood of human error or bias in the transcriptions.
- Scalability: AI transcription can easily scale to handle a high volume of content, making it suitable for businesses and organizations with substantial transcription needs.
Cons of AI Transcription
Here are some of the main drawbacks of using AI transcriptions to consider:
- Accuracy: ASR software may misinterpret words or phrases, especially if there are background noises or multiple speakers.
- Lack of attention to detail: ASR software may not add punctuation marks or identify speakers.
- Accuracy limitations: While AI transcription has made significant advancements in accuracy, it may still struggle with complex jargon, accents, or context-dependent phrases. This can lead to errors in the transcript, especially in specialized fields.
- Post-editing required: AI-generated transcripts may require manual editing to correct errors and ensure accuracy, especially for content with complex subject matter or unusual language use.
How to Choose the Best Transcription Method
There are instances where you may prefer human transcription over AI transcription and vice versa. Generally, the choice between AI transcription vs. human transcription depends on your unique needs and priorities. Here are some of the key considerations to make to pick the right transcription method:
1. Evaluate your transcription needs
The first thing to do is to assess your transcription needs. Some of the key considerations to make in this stage include:
- How complex the transcription might be: Does it involve technical terminology, multiple speakers, or intricate details? Complex content often benefits from human transcription.
- Turnaround time: Determine how quickly you need the transcripts. If you have tight deadlines, AI transcription may be more suitable for its speed.
- Accuracy: Human transcription is the way to go if you need high precision and attention to detail. Human transcriptionists can comprehend the context of the conversation and identify words that may be difficult for AI to recognize. They can also correct errors made by automatic speech recognition (ASR) software.
2. Determine your budget
Evaluate your budget for transcription services. AI transcription is generally more cost-effective than human transcription, as you only have to get a subscription or purchase a premium that can transcribe your audio in bulk.
Moreover, using AI transcription tools like Krisp enables you to get accurate meeting transcriptions without paying for any subscription.
3. Consider hybrid solutions
In some cases, instead of choosing between AI transcription vs. human transcription, opting for a hybrid approach can be beneficial. You can use AI transcription for initial processing to quickly generate drafts and then have human transcriptionists review and refine the transcripts for accuracy and context.
Fortunately, some AI transcription services are now quite accurate. Although human input may be required in these instances, it is often minimal.
4. Safety and Security
AI transcription tools and human transcription solutions can be ideal if you need confidentiality. However, it is important to consider the security features of the transcription tool to ensure that it is encrypted.
Nevertheless, if you are unsure of the encryption status of the tool you are using, you would rather opt for human transcription. This can be a more secure option since it is less vulnerable to hacking or data breaches.
Using Krisp for AI Transcription
Krisp has an AI meeting assistant that offers a much better solution compared to human transcription and even stands out from other transcription tools. Here are some of the features that make Krisp a great choice for AI transcription:
- Ease of use: Krisp is easy to use and works with any voice app without additional plugins or extensions. You can use it to transcribe your meetings in Zoom, Teams, WebEx, Google Meet, Slack, and more. For instance, you can easily get a Teams meeting transcription without recording.
- Accurate transcription: Krisp uses advanced AI technology to transcribe your meetings accurately. It captures what different speakers say and provides effective summaries highlighting key discussions and action items.
- AI note-taker: Krisp’s AI note-taker maintains a comprehensive record of all your conversations, including meeting takeaways, action items, and discussion items.
- Active noise cancellation: Krisp’s active noise cancellation feature eliminates background noise, making it easier to focus on the conversation. It works with any microphone or speaker and filters out the background noise.
By using Krisp, you can access advanced unlimited meeting transcriptions for free with loads of other features. Give it a try today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Combine AI and Human Transcription?
Yes, combining AI and human transcription can be a good idea. Many professionals find that using both methods together can balance cost, turnaround time, and accuracy.
Which one is more accurate, human or AI transcription?
Human transcription is generally more accurate than AI transcription, especially in a situation where the context may be more technical.
Is human transcription faster than AI transcription?
No, human transcription is slower than AI transcription. It can take several hours or even days to transcribe a long audio file. In contrast, ASR software can transcribe an hour-long audio file in a matter of minutes.
Can AI transcription handle multiple languages?
Yes, AI transcription can handle multiple languages and is often equipped to transcribe content in various languages and dialects. Many AI transcription services are trained on diverse language datasets, allowing them to recognize and transcribe different languages accurately.
