14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently announced that OneDrive for Business would soon support automated transcription services, technically allowing users to create transcripts of their video and audio files.
The Redmond-based software firm explains that the engine powering this new feature is the AI technology bundled into Microsoft Stream and all the process takes place in the Microsoft Cloud, without any third-party service being used.
“While viewing a video or listening to an audio file, a full transcript (improving both accessibility and search) will show directly in our industry-leading viewer, which supports over 320 different file types. This will help you utilize your personal video and audio assets, as well as collaborate with others to produce your best work,” Microsoft says.
One of the biggest benefits of this new feature is that videos and audio files are easier to find in the cloud thanks to this automatically-created transcript.
Media files easier to find
Technically, anyone can find a specific media file by simply typing a word or phrase heard while watching a video or listening to an audio. This feature comes in handy particularly to enterprises who are trying to better manage presentations and meetings, but could also be useful for consumers who store media files in the cloud.
“Once you’re ready to make a video broadly available across the organization, you can upload and publish to Microsoft Stream. You’ll continue to get transcription services plus other AI driven capabilities, including in-video face detection and automatic captions. Importantly, your audio and video content never leaves the Microsoft Cloud; it is not passed through potentially costly and insecure third-party services,” Microsoft says.
There’s no ETA as to when this new feature could become available to users, but Microsoft says the target is sometime later this year. More information will probably be shared at the Ignite conference taking place September 24 – 28.