How I Built AI Speech-to-Text Software

As a young entrepreneur and developer, I've always been fascinated by AI's potential to solve everyday problems. One of my recent projects was developing a Chrome extension that uses AI to convert speech to text and transcription.

The Inspiration Behind the Project

The idea arose when I experienced the need for fast and accurate transcription of audio content myself. Traditional solutions were either too expensive or not accurate enough. I decided to build my own solution using modern AI technology.

Technical Implementation

AI Models and APIs

I chose to use OpenAI's Whisper API for speech-to-text conversion because it offers:

• High accuracy in Danish and English
• Fast processing of audio files
• Flexible integration with web applications

Chrome Extension Architecture

The extension is built with:

• Manifest V3 for modern Chrome compatibility
• React for the user interface
• TypeScript for type safety
• Web Audio API for audio recording

User Interface

I designed a simple and intuitive interface that:

• Gives users control over recording
• Shows real-time transcription
• Allows export to different formats
• Integrates seamlessly with Chrome

Challenges and Solutions

Audio Quality and Noise

One of the biggest challenges was handling different audio qualities and background noise. I solved this by:

• Implementing audio preprocessing
• Adding noise reduction
• Optimizing for different microphone types

Performance and Speed

To ensure fast transcription, I implemented:

• Streaming of audio data
• Parallel processing
• Caching of results

Results and Learning

The project gave me valuable experience with:

• AI integration in web applications
• Chrome Extension development
• Audio processing and recording
• User-friendly design

The Future of the Project

I plan to expand the extension with:

• Support for more languages
• Advanced editing features
• Integration with popular platforms
• Offline functionality

Conclusion

This project demonstrates how AI can be used to solve real problems and improve productivity. It has been a fantastic learning experience and a step forward in my journey as an AI developer.

Want to try the extension? It's available in the Chrome Web Store and can be downloaded for free.