Automated Transcripts vs Human Transcribers
Technology has changed the face of many industries, including transcription. Timelines and options that seemed impossible only a decade ago are now common. One way that transcription has changed is a choice between automated transcription and the traditional human transcribers. Fast, Cheap & Good. You typically only get to pick two of the three, and transcripts are no different.
- FAST
Automated is the hands down winner on speed. Transcripts are done very fast. They can take minutes or hours to be turned around to the person who uploaded the audio. Human is much slower in time to deliver the transcript and results. Depending on the audio length, humans can take hours or days to complete a transcript - CHEAP
Automated is cheap, really very cheap, and sometimes even free. Transcripts completed by a machine can be done very quickly and can even have dictionaries. The low price point in relation to human is extreme so, if price is the most important factor, then automated is the choice for your project. - GOOD
Technology is not able to come close to a human with multiple speakers. Sometimes, with very clear audio and one or two speakers, the automated can reach accuracy levels that exceed 80%. However, in a large portion of cases and a very large amount of transcripts with a group of speakers, the accuracy is vastly lower than human. When background noise exists, the automated machine may type nothing. Human would be the strong clear leader when a transcript must have a higher quality level.
After weighing these factors for yourself, it will become much clearer which of the two is the better fit for the audio in consideration. Once you have decided between automated and human transcription, the next step is finding the best firm for whichever type you choose. Fortunately, your search can begin and end with Focus Forward, as we excel in both types! Contact us today!
