How I Use AI to take perfect notes...without typing

Thomas Frank Explains
20 Apr 202335:29

TLDRIn this tutorial, the creator demonstrates how to build a workflow that transforms voice notes into text, summaries, and action items using AI tools. The process involves using OpenAI's Whisper model for transcription and ChatGPT for summarization. The workflow is automated through Pipe Dream, triggered by uploading audio files to Google Drive. The resulting content is then formatted in Markdown and sent to a Notion database, creating a seamless system for note-taking and idea organization.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 The video describes a workflow for converting voice notes to text, summarizing them, and organizing the information in Notion using AI tools.
  • 📝 OpenAI's Whisper model is used for transcribing audio files into text.
  • 🗣️ ChatGPT is utilized to generate summaries, main points, and action items from the transcribed text.
  • 🔄 The process is automated and hands-off once set up, improving efficiency for note-taking.
  • 📚 Notion serves as the database for storing the transcribed and summarized notes.
  • 🔗 Google Drive is used as the cloud storage provider to upload and trigger the automation process.
  • 🛠️ Pipe Dream is the automation builder that connects all the apps and drives the workflow.
  • 📋 The workflow includes steps for uploading audio, transcribing, summarizing, and formatting the output in Markdown for Notion.
  • 📝 The video provides tips for writing effective prompts to get better output from ChatGPT.
  • 📅 The tutorial also discusses how to set up and manage the workflow in Pipe Dream, including handling different file types and extensions.
  • 💡 The video offers a no-code method for users who are not comfortable with coding, as well as a code-heavy method for more advanced users.

Q & A

  • What is the primary function of the bot described in the video?

    -The bot takes voice notes, converts them into text, and sends the text to a notes database in Notion, providing a transcript, summary, and list of action items.

  • Which two AI tools are used for the automation in this workflow?

    -OpenAI's Whisper model for transcribing audio to text, and ChatGPT for generating summaries and lists of action items.

  • The user can record notes on their phone, which are then automatically transcribed and summarized by the bot.

    -null

  • What is the purpose of the Ultimate Brain template for Notion mentioned in the video?

    -The Ultimate Brain template is designed to turn Notion into a user's second brain, providing a robust task manager, project management dashboard, goal tracking, and a full note-taking system.

  • What are the four tools required to set up the described workflow?

    -A Notion account, an OpenAI account, a cloud storage provider (like Google Drive), and a Pipe Dream account.

  • How does the automation process work when a new audio file is uploaded?

    -The audio file is uploaded to the cloud storage, Pipe Dream triggers an automation that queries the Whisper API for transcription and the ChatGPT API for summarization, and then sends the formatted output to a new page in Notion.

  • What is the significance of the prompt given to ChatGPT in this workflow?

    -The prompt given to ChatGPT determines how it processes the transcript, allowing for customization of the output, such as creating a blog post draft from a voice note.

  • How can the user improve the output of ChatGPT?

    -The user can improve the output by writing better prompts, which can be learned from the tips shared in the video or the accompanying written tutorial.

  • What is the role of Pipe Dream in this workflow?

    -Pipe Dream serves as the automation builder that connects all the other apps together and drives the automation process, automatically kicking off when a new audio file is uploaded to the cloud storage.

  • What is the maximum file size limit for Whisper's transcription?

    -Whisper has a 25-megabyte file limit for transcription.

  • How can users get around the file size limit for Whisper?

    -Users can refer to the code-heavy version of the tutorial, which provides a method to handle larger files, such as long podcast episodes or extended voice notes.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Building an AI-Powered Note-Taking Workflow

The video script introduces a method for automating the process of turning voice notes into text and summarizing them using AI tools. It explains how to use OpenAI's Whisper model for transcription and ChatGPT for summarization and action item extraction. The workflow is designed to be hands-off and automated, improving efficiency in note-taking and idea capture.

05:02

🔧 Setting Up the Workflow

The script outlines the necessary steps to set up the workflow, including creating a Notion account, obtaining an OpenAI account, choosing a cloud storage provider, and setting up a Pipe Dream account. It provides a detailed explanation of how to trigger the workflow when an audio file is uploaded to a specific Google Drive folder and how to use Pipe Dream to automate the process.

10:02

📝 Uploading Audio and Transcribing with Whisper

The video script explains the process of uploading audio files to Google Drive and using Pipe Dream to trigger the automation. It details the steps to download the audio file into Pipe Dream's temp directory, send it to OpenAI's Whisper API for transcription, and handle potential errors that may occur during the process.

15:03

📄 Summarizing with ChatGPT and Formatting Output

The script describes how to use OpenAI's ChatGPT API to summarize the transcribed text. It emphasizes the importance of crafting effective prompts for ChatGPT to generate a title, summary, and lists of main points and action items. The video also discusses the use of Markdown formatting to structure the output for easy integration with Notion.

20:07

📋 Customizing the Workflow with Code

The video script introduces a Node.js code block to split the output from ChatGPT into separate components for the title, summary, and additional information. It explains the benefits of this customization, such as reducing API calls and improving the layout of the final output in Notion. The script also provides a pre-written code block for users to copy and paste into their Pipe Dream workflow.

25:09

📅 Deploying the Workflow and Future Use

The script concludes with instructions on how to deploy the workflow in Pipe Dream, making it live and ready to process new audio files uploaded to Google Drive. It also mentions the limitations of the no-code version and provides a link to a more advanced, code-heavy version for users who want to handle larger files. The video ends with a promotion for the Ultimate Brain template for Notion, which is designed to support this AI transcription and summarization workflow.

30:11

🎉 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

The video script wraps up with a call to action for viewers to build and try out the workflow for themselves. It highlights the potential benefits of the workflow for capturing ideas on the go and encourages viewers to share their experiences. The video ends with a thank you note and a reminder to subscribe for more Notion tutorials and tips.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI transcription

AI transcription refers to the process of converting spoken language into written text using artificial intelligence. In the video, the OpenAI's Whisper model is used for this purpose, turning audio files into text, which is a crucial step in the workflow described for automating note-taking and summarization.

💡ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an AI language model developed by OpenAI, capable of generating human-like text based on the prompts given to it. In the context of the video, ChatGPT is used to generate summaries and lists of main points or action items from the transcribed text, enhancing the user's note-taking process.

💡Notion

Notion is a productivity tool that allows users to create databases, notes, and various other organizational elements. The video describes how to integrate Notion with AI tools to create an automated system for managing voice notes, summaries, and action items.

💡Workflow automation

Workflow automation involves setting up a series of actions that are performed automatically in response to specific triggers. In the video, the speaker outlines a workflow that automates the process of transcribing voice notes, summarizing them, and storing the information in Notion.

💡Cloud storage

Cloud storage is a service that allows users to store data remotely on the internet rather than on a physical device. The video mentions Google Drive as a cloud storage provider where audio files are uploaded to initiate the automation process.

💡Pipe Dream

Pipe Dream is an automation platform that enables users to connect various applications and services to create automated workflows. In the video, Pipe Dream is used to integrate Google Drive, OpenAI's Whisper and ChatGPT, and Notion to automate the transcription and summarization process.

💡Markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language used for formatting text. In the video, the output from ChatGPT is formatted in Markdown to facilitate the structured insertion of the summary and other elements into Notion pages.

💡Prompt engineering

Prompt engineering involves crafting effective prompts to guide AI models like ChatGPT to produce desired outputs. The video emphasizes the importance of well-structured prompts to achieve better results from ChatGPT, such as more accurate summaries and action item lists.

💡Ultimate Brain template

The Ultimate Brain template is a comprehensive productivity template for Notion designed to help users organize their tasks, projects, goals, and notes. The video mentions this template as a tool that can be used in conjunction with the described AI transcription and summarization workflow.

💡Second brain

The concept of a 'second brain' refers to a system or tool that acts as an extension of one's cognitive abilities, helping to store and process information. In the video, Notion is described as a 'second brain' where users can dump their thoughts and ideas, which are then organized and summarized through AI automation.

Highlights

Building a bot that converts voice notes to text and summarizes them for Notion.

Using OpenAI's Whisper model for audio to text transcription.

ChatGPT generates summaries, main points, and action items from the transcript.

Customizing prompts for ChatGPT to improve output quality.

The workflow automates the process of transcribing and summarizing voice notes.

The Ultimate Brain template for Notion as a second brain.

Setting up a Notion account, OpenAI account, cloud storage, and Pipe Dream for automation.

Google Drive used as a trigger for automation when a new audio file is uploaded.

Pipe Dream automates the process by connecting various apps and services.

Using OpenAI's Whisper API for transcription and ChatGPT API for summarization.

Customizing the workflow for different note-taking needs.

The importance of good prompts for ChatGPT to produce better output.

Formatting the output in Markdown for easy integration with Notion.

The workflow's ability to handle different file types and extensions dynamically.

Adjusting Pipe Dream settings like timeout value for longer audio files.

The potential of this workflow to improve productivity and note-taking efficiency.