How Does Google Dictation Compare to Human Transcription?

Technology has revolutionized the way humans communicate. Speech recognition software, also known as dictation software, is an amazing advancement that’s growing in popularity because it’s convenient and easy to use. In fact, online dictation, the web-based version of speech recognition software, is something you may routinely use without much thought.

For instance, for when your hands are full, many people rely on online dictation to type a quick text message. Online dictation can also be used professionally for recording meetings or seminars and providing a quick, typed account of exactly what was said to refer to later.

However, some online dictation software lacks the nuanced interpretation that human transcriptions can provide. Let’s take a look at a well-known speech recognition service, Google Dictation, to see how it performs compared to a human.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Google Dictation

Google Dictation is a downloadable extension that turns Google Chrome into a speech recognition application, so you can generate online text documents like emails without having to touch your keyboard.

Aside from eliminating extended periods of typing, Google Dictation has some very attractive features. The app is integrated with your Dropbox and Google Drive, so you can export the transcribed text to various online accounts.

However, like other technologies, online dictation apps like Google Dictation are far from perfect. Google Dictation won’t always translate your voice to perfectly typed, grammatically correct text. The software may not recognize homophones, non-standard pronunciations, or certain dialects.

Online dictation apps like Google Dictation use algorithms to process your audible speech into typed content. These algorithms may be helpful for your informal speech-to-text needs such as a text or email, but may misinterpret words, omit entire phrases, or accidentally create grammatical issues in large blocks of text.

Additionally, as an extension of the Google Chrome platform, Google Dictation is subject to bugs or failure. Since it’s a free technology in the public domain, there’s no contact or accountability to troubleshoot technical issues.

For these reasons, online dictation apps like Google Dictation can’t always compete against human transcriptionists, who specialize in converting audible speech to grammatically correct text. A human is accountable and can rectify mistakes commonly made by online dictation applications. With a human transcriptionist, you can get higher-quality transcriptions of important documents or assignments. When accuracy matters, paying for the services of a human transcriptionist is well worth the cost.

Does your audio recording, video, podcast, or interview require an accurate transcription? Contact us at Preferred Transcriptions to speak to a representative and learn more about the various services we provide. We will help you select a transcription service that best fits your needs within your budget.