As technology advances, there has been an increased interest in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various industries, including law enforcement. One area where AI is being considered is in police transcription services. However, it is essential to note that there are reasons why human transcriptionists are still the best and only option.
A transcription error caused by AI after an arrest could be catastrophic later during legal proceedings. For example, imagine if AI misinterprets a word or phrase and transcribes it incorrectly into a statement that incriminates someone. This error could lead to a wrongful conviction or dismissal of evidence, causing significant problems for law enforcement personnel.
Here are my top nine reasons why humans beat AI in law enforcement transcription.
- Accuracy: Human transcriptionists can accurately transcribe even the most challenging audio. AI has tremendous difficulty understanding accents, background noises, and specialized jargon like acronyms.
- Context: A human transcriptionist can understand the context of the conversation and accurately transcribe it. AI can only sometimes do this and will miss important details often.
- Confidentiality: A human transcriptionist can ensure the privacy and security of sensitive information. AI can be hacked, and information can be stolen or leaked.
- Critical Thinking: A human transcriptionist can use critical thinking to decipher the confusing or ambiguous language. AI cannot do this and will often make mistakes.
- Personalization: A human transcriptionist can personalize transcripts to fit the needs of each department. AI cannot do this and will often provide a generic transcript.
- Customization: A human transcriptionist can customize transcripts to fit the needs of each file. This means we can use a search warrant template, an interview template, or the jail call template. AI cannot do this and will often provide irrelevant information.
- Communication: A human transcriptionist can clarify information with detectives, officers, and attorneys. AI cannot do this and will often provide incomplete or inaccurate data.
- Speed: A human transcriptionist can transcribe a 99% accurate audio faster than AI. AI requires time to learn and adjust to new accents and jargon, which could take many more years.
- Reliability: A human transcriptionist can provide reliable and consistent transcriptions. AI can be unpredictable and can produce different results each time.
According to Ditto Transcripts CEO Ben Walker, “While AI has come a long way in recent years, there are still certain aspects of law enforcement transcription that cannot match the capabilities of a human. Accuracy, interpretation, and context are just a few examples of areas where human transcriptionists excel. Police transcription requires a high level of accuracy, interpretation, and context, which is why human transcriptionists are still the only option.”
While AI may seem attractive for transcription, it cannot replace a human transcriptionist’s accuracy, context, critical thinking, personalization, and reliability. Police departments should invest in human transcription services to ensure they receive the most accurate and reliable information possible.
