AI-powered Transcription- A Tool For Efficiency Or A Threat TO Privacy?

From Zoom’s real-time captions to Otter’s detailed transcripts, alongside similar functionality on Meet and Teams, plus many others, companies now have unprecedented access to verbal archives. However, businesses are urged to consider the broader implications.

“It’s great to have a full record of what was said in meetings and conversations,” said Linda Trim, director at workplace design consultancy, Giant Leap. “But there may be a hidden cost. Transcription can streamline workflows and boost accountability, yet it risks turning dynamic, human spaces into overly monitored environments.

“To foster collaboration and trust — constant recording might undermine that if employees feel every word is under scrutiny.”

The benefits of transcription are clear.

Businesses can track decisions, enhance accessibility for remote or hearing-impaired staff, and meet compliance needs in regulated sectors. Productivity may rise as employees focus on discussion rather than note-taking. Yet, Trim warns of trade-offs.

Self-censorship and other concerns

“Privacy is a cornerstone of a healthy workplace culture,” she noted. “If staff censor themselves out of fear their casual remarks will be archived, we lose the spontaneity that drives innovation. Add legal concerns — like South Africa’s PoPIA regulations requiring consent for data collection — and the picture gets complex.”

Information overload is another hurdle.

Raw transcripts can overwhelm teams with unfiltered text, while AI errors with accents or jargon demand time-consuming edits.

Which sessions to record

Trim suggested a balanced approach: “Technology should serve purpose, not dictate it. Transcribe key sessions — strategy meetings or training — but let informal check-ins breathe. Design policies that prioritise consent and clarity, ensuring transcripts enhance, not hinder, the workplace.”

Trim’s perspective reflects a growing global debate.

As companies adopt transcription tools, they must weigh efficiency against human dynamics. “We can integrate smart tech into workplaces without sacrificing what makes them human. It’s about designing systems — physical and digital — that empower people, not just processes.”

With transcription here to stay, businesses face a choice: embrace it fully or wield it selectively. “We have a clear stance — technology is a tool, not a mandate.

“The goal isn’t to capture every word, but to create environments where the right words can flourish,” Trim concluded.