What is Aiko?

Aiko is an innovative audio transcription tool that leverages artificial intelligence to convert speech into text. Powered by OpenAI’s Whisper model, Aiko offers high-quality transcription services directly on your device, ensuring user privacy and data security. This app is designed for macOS and iOS, allowing users to transcribe meetings, lectures, interviews, and various audio recordings effortlessly. With support for over 100 languages, Aiko is a versatile solution for anyone needing accurate and efficient transcription.

Features

Aiko is packed with features that enhance the transcription experience. Here’s a breakdown of its key functionalities:

AI-Powered Transcription

• OpenAI’s Whisper Model: Aiko utilizes the Whisper large v2 model on macOS and medium or small models on iOS, depending on device capabilities. This powerful AI model ensures high accuracy in transcriptions.

On-Device Processing

• Privacy Assurance: Aiko transcribes audio directly on your device, eliminating concerns about data breaches or privacy violations. This makes it ideal for sensitive recordings.

Language Support

• Multilingual Capability: Aiko supports audio transcription in over 100 languages, making it a valuable tool for users worldwide.

User-Friendly Interface

• Intuitive Design: The app features a clean and straightforward interface, allowing users to navigate easily and access its functionalities without a steep learning curve.

Shortcuts Integration

• Shortcut Support: Aiko includes support for Shortcuts on iOS and macOS, enabling users to create custom workflows for recording and transcribing audio.

Batch Transcription Workaround

• Batch Processing: Although Aiko does not natively support batch transcription, users can utilize Shortcuts to transcribe multiple audio files simultaneously.

Text Formatting Options

• Paragraph Division: Aiko divides transcription text into sentences. Users can copy the text and use ChatGPT to format it into paragraphs easily.

Export Options

• Multiple Formats: Users can export transcriptions in various formats, including JSON, CSV, and subtitles (SRT), allowing for flexibility in how they use the transcribed content.

Recording Features

• Direct Recording: Users can record audio directly within the app, making it easy to capture and transcribe content in real-time.

Error Handling

• Feedback Mechanism: Aiko includes a feature for users to report bugs or suggest improvements, ensuring continuous enhancement of the app's performance.

Frequently Updated

• Ongoing Improvements: The developers are committed to improving Aiko, addressing user feedback, and incorporating new features based on demand.

Use Cases

Aiko is suitable for a variety of users and scenarios, including:

Students

• Lecture Transcription: Students can use Aiko to transcribe lectures and class discussions, making it easier to review and study the material later.

Professionals

• Meeting Notes: Business professionals can transcribe meetings, ensuring that important discussions and decisions are documented accurately for future reference.

Content Creators

• Podcast and Video Transcription: Podcasters and video creators can transcribe their content for subtitles, enhancing accessibility and engagement with their audience.

Researchers

• Interview Transcription: Researchers conducting interviews can use Aiko to transcribe conversations, facilitating data analysis and reporting.

Accessibility

• Support for the Hearing Impaired: Aiko can help those with hearing impairments by providing transcriptions of spoken content, making audio and video materials more accessible.

Language Learners

• Language Practice: Individuals learning new languages can benefit from Aiko by transcribing audio in their target language, aiding in vocabulary acquisition and comprehension.

Pricing

Aiko offers a flexible pricing structure that caters to various user needs:

Free Trial

• 14-Day Trial: Users can try Aiko for free for 14 days via TestFlight. This trial provides full access to the app without any limitations, allowing users to evaluate its capabilities.

Purchase Options

• One-Time Purchase: After the trial period, users can purchase Aiko from the App Store. There are no auto-charges or commitments, ensuring a risk-free experience.

Comparison with Other Tools

When comparing Aiko to other transcription tools, several unique selling points stand out:

On-Device Processing

• Privacy: Unlike many transcription services that process audio in the cloud, Aiko processes everything on-device, ensuring user privacy and data security.

Language Support

• Extensive Multilingual Capability: Aiko supports transcription in over 100 languages, which is often more than many competing tools that may limit their offerings.

Customization Options

• Shortcuts Integration: The ability to use Shortcuts for custom workflows sets Aiko apart from other transcription apps that may not offer this level of flexibility.

Export Formats

• Diverse Export Options: Aiko allows users to export transcriptions in multiple formats, including JSON, CSV, and SRT, which is not always available in other transcription tools.

Accuracy

• High-Quality Transcriptions: Aiko’s use of the Whisper model ensures high accuracy in transcriptions, often outperforming other tools that may rely on less advanced technology.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about Aiko:

How does Aiko ensure privacy?

Aiko transcribes audio directly on your device, ensuring that sensitive recordings remain private and secure.

Can I edit the transcription within the app?

Currently, Aiko does not support text editing within the app. Users are encouraged to export the transcription and edit it in a proper text editor.

What audio formats does Aiko support?

Aiko supports any audio and video format that macOS and iOS can handle, including .m4a, .wav, .mp3, .mp4, and .mov. However, it does not support .ogg files.

How do I provide feedback or report a bug?

Users can send feedback, feature requests, or bug reports directly to the Aiko development team through the app.

What should I do if the transcription is missing punctuation?

Aiko’s transcriptions may occasionally lack punctuation due to limitations of the Whisper model. Users can set a prompt to help improve punctuation or copy the text into ChatGPT for correction.

Can I transcribe live audio, such as Zoom meetings?

Aiko does not currently support live transcription. Users can record the meeting and then transcribe the audio afterward.

Why does Aiko take up so much space on my device?

Aiko delivers high-quality transcription services for multiple languages, which requires significant storage space. The app is designed to provide the best possible experience for users.

Is Aiko available in my language?

Aiko supports over 100 languages, but if a specific language is not listed, users can submit requests for future consideration.

How can I delete audio recordings?

Audio recordings can be deleted directly in the Files app where they are stored in the “Aiko” folder.

Why does the app sometimes overheat my device?

If Aiko is consuming a lot of resources, it may cause the device to overheat. This is typically managed by the operating system, but if overheating persists, it may indicate a hardware issue.

Can I batch transcribe multiple files at once?

While Aiko does not have built-in batch transcription, users can create shortcuts to facilitate the process of transcribing multiple audio files together.

How do I transcribe a YouTube video?

To transcribe a YouTube video, users must first download the audio using a third-party service and then open the file in Aiko for transcription.

In conclusion, Aiko stands out as a powerful audio transcription tool that combines advanced AI technology with user-centric features. Its commitment to privacy, extensive language support, and flexible functionality make it an essential tool for students, professionals, content creators, and anyone in need of accurate transcription services. Whether for personal use or professional applications, Aiko provides a reliable and efficient solution for converting speech to text.