The field of subtitling is evolving towards the use of artificial intelligence. This system is designed to produce quality and precise transcriptions. How do AI subtitles work? What are their importance in content creation?

What technologies are used in AI subtitles?

Artificial intelligence subtitling is based on audio recording, then transcribing this file into text. AI uses different advanced technologies to carry out its task:

Machine learning 

Machine learning gives AI the power to learn from the data it processes. Artificial intelligence algorithms are built on a large database. It collects all audio and text files to easily recognize human interactions. Machine learning refines its transcription capability the more it is used. 

Natural language processing

Natural language processing helps AI understand human language. Automatic captioning uses it to analyze and interpret text in different contexts. AI subtitles will be accurate, consistent and natural. 

Automatic speech recognition or ASR

ASR is the technology that transforms audio file to text. It detects audio and analyzes it. This is the transduction stage. Next comes transcription: the AI ​​transcribes every word it hears into text. AI can analyze different types of voices and accents. It even recognizes voices masked by special effects.

🤔 Did you know?

Special effects attract more viewers for your short videos. On Subfast.ai, you can add voice effects and filters for images.

After transcription, the AI ​​moves to the synchronization stage. The legend appears at the moment when the corresponding sequence appears on the screen. Viewers can read the caption and follow the image at the same time.

How important are AI subtitles?

Accessibility for all categories of people

Automatic captioning increases inclusion for all types of viewers, including deaf and hard of hearing people. They can enjoy lively entertainment without the sound barrier. 

Additionally, some countries require content creators to put subtitles in their videos. The use of artificial intelligence quickly responds to this stage of creation. 

AI subtitles also promote the international reach of content. AI automatically translates captions into multiple languages ​​upon user request. Foreign subscribers can watch your videos even if they don't speak your language. 

📝 Important note

Subfast.ai also uses AI to automatically translate your videos and their subtitles. It hosts over 50 languages, including English, Spanish, German…

Better user engagement

Better accessibility also means more viewer engagement. In addition, 80% of them watch animated content on mute. They watch captioned videos until the end and are more likely to add a reaction and share.

▶️ Some important figures

A translation agency published a statistic according to which subtitles increase:

• 10% likes

• 26% number of shares

The importance of subtitles for marketing concerns the optimization of content for search engines. They can index videos and improve the visibility of content in search results. SEO cannot analyze videos. Adding subtitles to this content makes it more visible on the Web. 

A considerable time saver for content creators

Subtitling generated by artificial intelligence also saves significant time. Classic subtitle creation is a time-consuming task, especially for long videos. The AI ​​system automates this task and editing becomes easier. Content creators also spend less money on transcription. 

AI improves the accuracy and efficiency of captioning. It provides more accurate captions, with better sentence quality. Automatic subtitling is cheaper. Video editors no longer have to to externalize their transcription.

What are the limits of AI subtitles?

Despite the machine learning integrated into its algorithms, intelligent subtitling also has some limitations. The main limitation of AI is processing the various dialects and accents around the world. He may have difficulty transcribing certain dialogues accurately and may make transcription errors.

Artificial intelligence may also have difficulty understanding the context of the discussion. Subtitles must be correct both contextually and grammatically. This error appears most often in humorous content. 

Automatic subtitles are also limited in human intervention. They most often require post-transcription control for better quality. Correction is required to adjust language tics and consistency with the context of the video. 

What are the different types of subtitles

The main types of subtitles that can be used for animated content are:

The closed caption

This type of subtitle transcribes into text every noise it hears, even background noise. Its appearance at the bottom of the screen is synchronized with the corresponding audio. It also identifies each type of sound: speakers, background noises, soundtrack, etc. 

This type of subtitle is represented by the inscriptions CC. It is particularly suitable for deaf viewers. They can thus precisely identify each event in the content. 

Free or open subtitles

Open captions are an integral part of a video. Viewers cannot turn them on or off at will. They are specific to content published in public spaces where personalization is impossible. This type of legend is represented by the initials OC. 

Closed subtitles

They only present the dialogues in the content. They don't make distinctions between speakers and background noise. Subtitles are not recommended for content intended for the hearing impaired. But they can be translated into several languages.

Real-time subtitles

This type of caption is generated and displayed as content is delivered. It is mainly used during live videos:

• Live on social networks

• Sporting events

• Television news

AI subtitling is best suited here.

Forced subtitles

This type of subtitle can be classified as closed subtitles. But it only appears at a certain moment in the video, a language change for example. It helps viewers follow the course of the story without the language barrier.