5 Common Mistakes People Make When Using AI Transcription Tools

“One wrong word can destroy a reputation, break legal trust, or even put lives at risk. AI transcription is a powerful tool, but only when used with care, precision, and expertise.”

We believe the human touch is what turns ordinary transcription into something extraordinary.

The Hidden Dangers of Relying on AI Alone

AI transcription services have exploded in popularity for good reason. They promise quick turnaround, lower costs, and convenience. It sounds ideal on paper. However, the reality is far from perfect. Relying solely on automated transcription can lead to significant and damaging mistakes. It’s an area where shortcuts can cost you much more than you might expect.

In medical settings, even a small misinterpretation of patient details has led to serious health risks, including misdiagnosed allergies or incorrect medication advice. Several NHS Trusts have publicly admitted to transcription errors causing patient harm in their annual reports. While not all were due to AI, the increasing use of speech-to-text tools without human verification has contributed to this growing risk.

The legal sector has also faced problems. In courtrooms and depositions, misinterpreted speech has resulted in costly delays, retrials, and compromised outcomes. In journalism, AI-generated transcriptions of interviews have misquoted public figures, causing embarrassment and sometimes legal action. The problem is clear: AI lacks understanding of nuance, tone, industry-specific terminology, and context.

The Extent of the Problem

We’ve reviewed hundreds of automated transcripts provided to us by clients. In some cases, transcripts were so poor they were unusable. Even with major platforms, common errors included homophones (such as “their” vs. “there”), missing punctuation, completely incorrect names and locations, and critical omissions of entire sections of speech when background noise was present.

In fast-paced or multi-speaker environments, most AI tools fail dramatically. Heavy accents, technical jargon, overlapping voices, poor recording quality, and regional dialects all increase error rates. AI can even hallucinate, inventing words or phrases that were never said. While AI has a place as a first step, trusting it without robust checks is simply not safe for any professional environment.

A Better Way: The Transcription City Hybrid Model

Where others stop at technology, we go further. Transcription City has developed a multi-step process that combines the best of both worlds: the speed of technology with the unparalleled expertise of trained human transcriptionists.

It starts with audio quality. We guide clients in using directional microphones and noise reduction tools to ensure recordings are clear. Clean audio isn’t just nice to have; it dramatically reduces the risk of misinterpretation later.

Once the recording is optimised, AI may be used to create a base draft. But unlike others, we never hand this over directly to our clients. Every transcript goes through a meticulous human review by experienced professionals trained to handle medical, legal, academic, and corporate content. Our team verifies terminology, checks for context, inserts missing information, and ensures the formatting is of the highest quality.

We also go a step further by building custom glossaries for each client. Whether it’s a pharmaceutical company with product names, a law firm with case citations, or a university research project with technical vocabulary, our systems and people work together to learn and perfect the language that matters to you.

What makes our service stand out even more is our continuous improvement feedback loop. Our quality assurance team monitors trends and common client errors. This information feeds back into training for our human team and adjustments in AI usage. It is this dedication to perfection that gives our clients peace of mind.

Example of the Transcription City Difference

A recent client, a London-based law firm, approached us after receiving unacceptable results from a leading AI transcription platform. The AI system consistently mistranscribed legal references and failed to identify speakers accurately during multi-person hearings. They were frustrated and running out of time.

We applied our full hybrid model, including setting up custom legal glossaries and assigning an experienced legal transcriptionist to every file. Not only did we recover accuracy, but we also helped them streamline their process to the point that they reported saving more than 30% of their previous editing time. Their words, not ours: “We wish we had come to you first.”

This is exactly what separates Transcription City from ordinary services. We don’t just transcribe; we partner with you to enhance your process and give you results that are not only accurate but consistently reliable.

Step-by-Step: How We Solve the Problem Better

We start by assessing your recording quality and advising on how to get the clearest possible audio. This is a vital but often overlooked step that prevents the majority of transcription errors.

We then use our in-house secure systems to process the file. If AI is used, it is only as a preliminary step to save time—not as a finished product. Our human transcribers take over and refine the work to meet the highest standards.

For every client, we create custom glossaries and speaker profiles to reduce confusion, especially for organisations with internal jargon, acronyms, or technical content.

Finally, we run an extensive human quality assurance review. We do not rely on spot checks or random sampling. Every single file we return to our clients has been fully reviewed from beginning to end.

We take responsibility for the result. That is our guarantee.

Why It’s Worth Paying for the Best

The price of poor transcription can be enormous. In healthcare, it can endanger lives, in law, it can undermine cases. Within media, it can cause lawsuits. Even in business, an inaccurate transcript of a key meeting or presentation can cause irreversible damage to your professional image.

At Transcription City, we believe our clients deserve more than a generic service. You deserve accurate, confidential, and timely transcription delivered by a team that is genuinely invested in your success.

Every day, we solve problems that others leave behind. We do it because we care about excellence and because we know our clients simply cannot afford to settle for less.

Your Next Step

If you are currently struggling with error-filled AI transcripts, or if you’ve never experienced the difference that premium transcription can make to your workflow, now is the time to act.

Our team will guide you through every step, from initial audio advice to final delivery, with our trademark personal service and attention to detail. Let us show you how transcription done the right way can save you time, reduce your stress, and help you focus on what really matters.

Your words deserve to be heard and recorded accurately. We’re here to make sure that happens.

Contact Transcription City today to discuss your project. We provide transcription services, hybrid AI transcription services, speech to text, custom transcription glossaries, legal transcription, medical transcription and business transcription.