transcribe

Transcribe audio files to text with optional speaker diarization using OpenAI models.

Updated Feb 4, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/pchemguy/AISandbox --skill transcribe-pchemguy
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: transcribe
Source: https://github.com/pchemguy/AISandbox/tree/main/docs/AgentSkills/openai/skills/skills/.curated/transcribe
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/pchemguy/AISandbox --skill transcribe-pchemguy

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires openai, and includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Converting audio and video recordings into written text manually is slow and error-prone, especially when meetings or interviews involve multiple speakers who need to be identified and labeled. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Fast Text Transcription: Transcribe audio files (mp3, mp4, m4a, wav, webm, and more) using gpt-4o-mini-transcribe with plain text, JSON, or diarized JSON output. - Speaker Diarization: Label speakers in meetings and interviews with gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize, including support for up to 4 known-speaker reference clips to improve attribution. - Deterministic CLI Workflow: A bundled Python CLI handles validation, chunking for long audio, output file management, and dry-run payload inspection. - Use Case: Transcribe a recorded team meeting in m4a format, automatically label Alice and Bob using short reference clips, and save a diarized JSON transcript for meeting notes. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to transcribe your audio file, for example: transcribe meeting.m4a with speaker labels and save the transcript to the output folder.

Frequently Asked Questions about transcribe

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I transcribe an audio file with speaker labels?▼

Run the bundled CLI with the gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize model and the diarized_json response format. The output contains speaker-labeled segments, and you can pass up to four known-speaker reference clips to improve attribution.

What audio formats does OpenAI transcription support?▼

Supported input formats are mp3, mp4, mpeg, mpga, m4a, wav, and webm. Each file must be 25 MB or smaller per request, and longer audio should use the auto chunking strategy.

Can I use a prompt with gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize?▼

No, prompting is not supported for gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize, and the CLI rejects that combination. Use gpt-4o-mini-transcribe with text or json output if you need prompt-guided transcription.

Why does transcription fail with an API key error?▼

The CLI requires the OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable to be set before making live API calls. Export it in your shell after creating a key in the OpenAI platform, or use --dry-run to validate inputs without calling the API.

What are the limitations of known-speaker diarization?▼

Known-speaker references are limited to four speakers and only work with gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize. Each reference is a short audio clip passed as a data URL, and the CLI warns if references are used with other models.