AI in Transcription: Aiding, Not Replacing
The transcription industry has undergone a huge transformation as more and more companies opt to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technology into their workflows. However, the use of AI comes with both pros and cons and the transition to AI-powered transcription tools has sparked numerous discussions across the web. We browse these forums on occasion to see what people think about the emergence of AI tech and find that, while opinions vary, there is prevalent concern that these changes will lead to lost jobs, lowered incomes, or worse: an obsolete career. One Redditor’s story outlines exactly this:
“I have a good friend who was a transcriber until this summer. She worked as a contractor, and the clients just stopped calling. The whole place is going under.” - User1539
Of course the use of AI comes with advantages, challenges, and risks. This is always the case for anything causing global transformation. In the field of transcription, AI-powered tools can quickly process large volumes of audio, but they lack contextual understanding and can fail to accurately interpret sarcasm, humour, or industry-specific jargon.
So, let’s summarise why AI and transcriptionists are better together than apart:
-
AI-powered tools can process and transcribe hours upon hours of audio within seconds and format the draft to the client’s specifications. Not only does this allow quicker turnaround times, it also means typists don’t have to slog through the tedium of stutters, re-phrases, irrelevant tangents, and long silences. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the story.
-
AI transcription tools are cost-effective, which makes them more appealing than hiring human transcriptionists, but that doesn’t make the transcriptionist replaceable. It just means that their employer will utilise their other skills, such as editing, proofreading, knowledge about the clients, context awareness, and the ability to edit and fix any errors the AI may make. The transcriptionist doesn’t become obsolete; they become a supervisor.
-
Let’s be real: transcribing audio is a big pain. You’re dealing with the mumblers, stutterers, frequent pausers, and those who love to interject every ten seconds. On top of that, you’re juggling loud background noises, accents, and technical issues that always happen when you really need it to work. All these things make you more likely to hear the wrong word or miss it completely. AI happily untangles the mess and returns to you a fresh, highly accurate transcript for your review.
Job Security Fears
With every advancement in technology, there is a risk – the most common being job displacement. As AI enters the transcription industry, some fear that its widespread adoption will lead to the reduction of human transcription jobs. Some companies will probably follow this path. The allure of cost reduction is strong, and some employees will be replaced by these tools. For other companies – and this is the more likely scenario – they’ll see the opportunity that this Reddit user outlines perfectly:
“I work in content marketing and this is literally my attitude to Jasper, Frase, things of that nature. It’s not the end of the world, it’s an opportunity. You are the exact person whose lives these tools are designed to make easier.” - Guilty-Addition5004
We’re Better Together
The optimal approach involves combining both AI and human expertise, where AI takes care of routine and repetitive tasks, while human transcriptionists contribute their understanding of context, nuances, and specialised knowledge. For example, speech-to-text (S2T) tools like Claudio offer harmony between both forces: AI automatically transcribes audio into a rough text draft, and then the transcriptionist reviews and edits the draft into a final transcript. In this case, the transcriptionist is promoted to an editor rather than manually typing hours of audio.
Yes, AI comes with pros and cons. That’s why it's crucial to evaluate the specific needs of each transcription task and consider the strengths and limitations of AI tools in that context.
AI is fast, affordable, and accurate.
It’s also not human.
Don’t discount the value of a human being. For example, in cases involving complex or specialised content, where a deep understanding of the subject matter is crucial, AI can struggle to match the expertise and intuition of a human transcriptionist. Certain industries require a level of insight that AI, at its current stage, might struggle to provide.
The ongoing discussions about AI in the transcription industry underscore the nuanced nature of this technological shift. AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We must leverage it as a tool to enhance efficiency rather than as a replacement for professionals.
Emphasising the collaborative potential of AI and human expertise could be the key to unlocking the full benefits of transcription tech. Creating an ecosystem where AI handles routine and repetitive tasks and transcriptionists focus on more complex and context-dependent aspects would be the optimal approach.
Ready to dip your toes into the future?
Start with a 30-minute trial of our AI transcriber, Claudio! Click the button below to learn more.
