Google launches offline AI dictation app to compete with rivals

On Monday, Google quietly released an offline-first dictation app called 'Google AI Edge Eloquent' on iOS to compete with the likes of Wispr Flow, SuperWhisper, and Willow. The app is free to download, and once its Gemma-based automatic speech recognition (ASR) models are downloaded, users can start dictating on their phones. The app provides live transcription, and when users hit pause, it automatically filters out filler words like 'um' and 'ah', polishing the text.

Below the transcript are options like 'Key points', 'Formal', 'Short', and 'Long' to transform the text. Users can also disable cloud mode to use local-only processing. When cloud mode is enabled, the app utilizes cloud-based Gemini models for text cleanup. Google AI Edge Eloquent can import specific keywords, names, and jargon from the user's Gmail account if desired, and users can add their own custom words to the list.

The app displays the history of the transcription session and allows users to search through all of them. It can show words dictated in the last session, the user's words per minute speed, and the total number of words spoken. 'Google AI Edge Eloquent is an advanced dictation app engineered to bridge the gap between natural speech and professional, ready-to-use text. Unlike standard dictation software that transcribes stumbles and filler words verbatim, Eloquent utilizes AI to capture your intended meaning. It automatically edits out 'ums,' 'uhs,' and mid-sentence self-corrections, outputting clean, accurate prose,' reads the app's description in the App Store.

While the app is currently only available on iOS, the App Store description references an Android version. We have reached out to Google for more information and will update the story if we hear back. According to the description, Eloquent offers 'seamless Android integration,' allowing it to be set as the default keyboard for system-wide access across any text field. Additionally, the app will feature a floating button similar to the one used by Wispr Flow on Android for easy access to transcription from anywhere.

AI-powered transcription apps are gaining popularity among users as speech-to-text models improve. With this experimental app, Google is joining the trend. If successful, we could see enhanced transcription features across Android as well.