If you’ve been following our previous blogs, especially those related to AI, you’re likely aware of the persistent challenges surrounding accents and transcription accuracy. Where an accent is particularly strong it’s much more difficult for AI to be able to correctly interpret what’s been said.
We’re all unique…
Indeed, we are, and not everyone finds it easy to understand accents. Speech clarity plays a crucial role, as does
- The speed of the speaker
- Gender of the speaker
- Voice pitch
- Background noise
- Proximity to the microphone
- The speaker’s accent
Being able to fully understand what someone is saying boils down to how much you are exposed to these elements. The more exposure, the better the chances of understanding the speaker’s words.
The mental strain
Another factor to consider is the cognitive effort required to decipher an accent. When we listen to someone whose speech aligns with what we’re accustomed to, the mental effort is minimal. But when we’re listening to an unfamiliar accent, we need to exert more cognitive effort to understand it. For those unaccustomed to this mental strain, maintaining it can become increasingly challenging – and time-consuming.
Accents, transcription and the AI challenge
Now let’s introduce AI and transcription into the mix…
The complexity deepens even further!
This brings to mind a very amusing social media post where Alexa just couldn’t understand an elderly Italian lady. As soon as individuals with accents, including regional nuances, dialects, and drawls, interact with Alexa or Google Assist it can be a frustrating experience because the speaker may appear inattentive, unresponsive, or even isolating.
These AI speakers are designed to learn and understand accents, following the same principle of exposure: the more accents they encounter, the better they become at understanding them. But despite the developers’ best efforts so far the technology has yet to fully overcome this hurdle.
The human touch for accuracy
That’s where human transcription steps in—it’s really the most effective the way to ensure accuracy.
Our team of highly experienced transcribers handles recordings in various formats from meetings of all sizes and structures. They’re understanding of the specific terminology relevant to a business or sector makes them exceptional in their ability to transcribe accurately and in a timely manner. Once a first draft is complete we then refine the transcripts to ensure precision and clarity. This whole process ensures that our clients receive in an accurate record of any meeting, interview or conference—regardless of the accents involved.
For a professional transcription service that delivers precise, high-quality records of your meetings or events, please contact us at 01737 852 225 or email alex@fionashipley.com.