AI Transcription – Will It Replace Yee Olde Transcription Typists?

At Dictate Australia we are getting more and more enquiries from office and practice managers around the use of AI in the dictation and transcription workflow process.

From our testing, the accuracy, speed and quality of voice recognition using AI is fantastic, it is also cheap. One solution we have been using to test OpenAI’s Whisper speech to text (STT) models is a fantastic app called MacWhisper. AI is much better at processing voice audio than it is at creating graphics judging by the featured image on this blog post.

MacWhisper is a macOS application designed for transcribing audio files using AI-based speech-to-text technology. Here’s a summary of its key features and functionality:

MacWhisper Key Features:

• AI Transcription: MacWhisper utilises OpenAI’s Whisper model to convert spoken words in audio files into text, supporting various languages and accents.
• Wide Audio Format Support: The app supports multiple audio formats, including MP3, WAV, M4A, and more, making it versatile for different audio sources.
• High-Quality Transcription: Provides accurate, high-quality transcription results, especially useful for podcasts, interviews, meetings, and voice notes.
• Offline Transcription: MacWhisper runs entirely locally on your Mac, meaning it can perform transcriptions without an internet connection, ensuring privacy and security of your audio data.
• Language Support: The app supports transcription in a wide variety of languages, making it useful for multilingual transcription needs.
• Simple User Interface: The interface is user-friendly, making it easy to upload audio files and manage transcriptions without needing extensive technical knowledge.
• Editable Text: Once the transcription is complete, you can edit the text directly within the app, allowing you to make adjustments or corrections as needed.
• Export Options: Transcriptions can be exported in various text formats, allowing for easy sharing or integration with other tools.

MacWhisper Functionality:

• Drag-and-Drop Audio Files: Users can simply drag audio files into the app for quick transcription.
• Real-Time AI Transcription: The app processes audio files in real time, delivering transcriptions quickly depending on the file length and complexity.

MacWhisper is ideal for professionals, content creators, and anyone needing a reliable, offline transcription solution on macOS.

Here is an example of MacWhisper in action, firstly for real-time voice recognition allowing me to talk and it will type wherever I can put my cursor and secondly producing a transcript from spoken voice with playback for quick and easy proofreading:

Confidentiality Considerations !

On our main website dictate.au we have written a post specifically focused on AI for Legal and Medical Professionals with a warning to both firms and outsource transcription services around the use of AI and legal requirements for confidential audio. Please review this blog post for more on that topic.