AI Dictation: Writing Emails at the Speed of Thought

Embracing the Power of Artificial Intelligence

Email is an essential tool in running a creative business or partaking in any modern professional communication. However, once I initiated a detailed daily time tracking habit, I uncovered an alarming amount of wasted time buried within my routine email writing and Slack responding activities.

Recognizing this inefficiency, I identified a personal skill that needed improvement – my touch typing. Having never dedicated time to mastering touch typing techniques, my skills were subpar and slow. Currently, I’m committed to addressing this shortcoming. I initially planned to purchase an ergonomic split keyboard to help, but found a new technology that redefined how I interact with my computer – dictation. Now, I can communicate at the speed of thought, thanks to a tool that is fast, accurate, accessible, and not locked within a limiting system like Dragon Naturally Speaking.

Dictation: A Game Changer in Professional Writing

Statistically, while the average person types 40-50 words per minute (wpm), their average speaking speed is far quicker, at 125-150 wpm. Enter SuperWhisper, a compact MacOS app that uses OpenAI’s open source transcription model, Whisper, to deliver quick, accurate dictation. The app blends seamlessly into my routine, and I’ve grown confident in its ability to parse even my Danish accent.

As a noteworthy feature, SuperWhisper can speed up dictation without compromising accuracy. Although OpenAI’s Whisper traditionally operates in real-time, with this accelerated feature, AI dictation attains a level of speed that enhances day-to-day productivity. I personally launch SuperWhisper with a swift shortcut, Option + full stop, and a small notification sound lets me know when dictation has started and ended.

Conveniently, this versatile app is free in its standard accuracy setting, with an available subscription for those seeking even higher precision. Personally, the standard accuracy suffices for my usage.

Simplifying Client Communication with AI

To demonstrate, here’s my approach to construct a client email response within 30 seconds:

1. I start by reading the email quickly. If I encounter a long-winded message, I’ll condense it using GPT-4 with a prompt: ‘Please summarize and condense the following text without altering its information or meaning.’
2. Next, I trigger SuperWhisper, and initiate dictation into Bear or Obsidian, my preferred writing apps.
3. After dictation, SuperWhisper conveniently copies the transcription to my clipboard, although it initially appears as a continuous paragraph.
4. Using GPT-4, I then format this paragraph into email-friendly prose with the following prompt: ‘Format the following text into an email, keeping the original tone without being overly formal. Do not add placeholder greetings or greetings at the beginning. Aim for at least two paragraphs.’
5. And just like that, within 30 seconds, a well-structured, correctly-written email is ready for dispatch.

Speed & Efficiency in Business Communication

The beauty of this technique lies in its respect for personal articulation. It neither introduces nor ‘hallucinates’ undesired facts, as it is fundamentally built on your thoughts. You can write not at the lagging speed of typing, but as swiftly as you think. Negligible concerns about typos or grammatical errors amplify its appeal. Moreover, depending on your chosen prompts and tweaks, you can customize a reliable system that communicates using your words and style, offering a seamless blend of technology and personality in professional communication.