We used to accept that voice recognition required a server. Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant all trained us to wait for the "processing" spinner. But with the release of OpenAI's Whisper and the optimization of Apple Silicon, the paradigm has shifted.
The Privacy Problem with Cloud Dictation
When you use a cloud-based dictation service, your voice audio—biometric data essentially—is uploaded, processed, and often stored for "quality assurance." For medical professionals, lawyers, and privacy-conscious developers, this is a non-starter.
Local dictation solves this instantly. No audio leaves your device. The text is generated on-metal, meaning your private thoughts, drafts, and conversations remain yours.
Latency: The Speed of Thought
Cloud APIs have a round-trip tax. Upload audio → Queue → Inference → Download text.
Local models, especially quantified versions of Whisper running on CoreML, can achieve real-time transcription that feels instantaneous. There is no network jitter, no API outages, and no buffering.
The Cost of "Free"
Most cloud dictation is either paid (per minute) or "free" (paid with your data). Local models have a one-time cost: the hardware you already own. Once you download the model weights, every word you dictate is free forever.
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