Voice recognition tech has come a long way and has found many practical applications in various industries. An obvious fit for this technology is automatically transcribing audio into written text. In fact, most transcription services today make use of AI-assisted software to transcribe text for the medical, legal, and academic sectors, to name a few.
In addition to transcription, this technology is also applied in realtime captioning for live conferences, presentations, and lectures. A real time transcription software increases efficiency and, at times, can also reduce the cost. But like any paid service, it is still essential to weigh the pros and cons of using a transcription service that uses technology.
Benefits of using automated transcription software
There are many reasons why many transcription providers today use automated software.
- First, using sophisticated AI technology is fast and ideal for real time captioning. Instead of using an outdated machine to convert shorthand into text, voice recognition software can automatically recognize and simultaneously type text.
- Since the transcription is quite fast, you can have a large audio file transcribed in less time than using a manual transcriptionist. Using automated software is therefore cost-effective and highly efficient when dealing with large volumes of work.
- Automated transcription software also ensures that security is a priority. Client’s needs vary from one industry to another; hence it is essential to account for their varying security demands. For example, the legal profession is particular when it comes to keeping information confidential. Despite using software to transcribe files, they are still guaranteed with exceptional encryption and data privacy policies.
- Having transcribed text serves as a back-up for important discussions and meetings. In the case of live broadcasts using realtime captions, the text serves as documentation that participants can later refer to in reviewing salient points in the presentation.
Indeed, using a computer software makes a lot of sense when applied in both realtime and non realtime transcription because it speeds up the process. While many argue that machines cannot entirely grasp the nuances of human language, software developers are continuously finding ways to make this software and applications more intelligent.
Are there drawbacks to this technology?
As mentioned earlier, one of the drawbacks of automated transcription is the inability to make corrections based on context. It is true that there is no computerized transcription that can claim 100% accuracy. As a way to mitigate this issue, transcription services make use of human transcriptionists for quality-control and editing.
Indeed while speech to text software used today is miles away from earlier predecessors, there is still much to improve on. That said, the benefits of hiring a transcription service that uses automated transcription software far outweighs these drawbacks. If you consider the efficiency and affordability of these services, you can understand why technology is starting to become standard practice in the transcription industry.
As a final thought, it is essential to ensure that when looking for a transcription service, make sure to find a reliable vendor based on client feedback, expertise, and samples of past projects.
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