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

Thomas Frank Explains
20 Apr 202335:29

TLDRIn this informative video, the creator demonstrates how to build an AI-powered workflow that transcribes voice notes into text and integrates them into a Notion database. The process utilizes OpenAI's Whisper model for transcription and ChatGPT for generating summaries and lists of action items. The workflow is automated using Pipe Dream, triggered by uploading audio files to Google Drive. The video offers tips for crafting effective prompts for better AI output and highlights the potential for customization to suit individual note-taking needs. The creator also introduces the Ultimate Brain template for Notion, which includes a robust task manager, project management dashboard, and a comprehensive note-taking system. The tutorial concludes with a live demonstration of the workflow in action, showcasing the creation of a new Notion page with the transcribed text and summary.

Takeaways

  • 🤖 The video introduces a bot that converts voice notes to text, then to a structured summary and action items within Notion.
  • 🎤 OpenAI's Whisper model transcribes audio files into text, while ChatGPT generates summaries and lists from the transcript.
  • 📝 Custom prompts can be used with ChatGPT to tailor the output, such as creating a blog post draft from a voice note.
  • 📈 Tips are provided for writing better prompts to improve the quality of ChatGPT's output.
  • 🔄 The workflow is automated, requiring no manual intervention after setup.
  • 📁 A Notion account with a Notes database is needed, along with an OpenAI account for API access.
  • ☁️ A cloud storage provider like Google Drive is used to upload audio files that trigger the automation.
  • 💬 Pipe Dream is the platform used to build and串联 (connect) the entire automation workflow.
  • 📑 The process involves uploading audio files, which are then transcribed, summarized, and sent to a new page in Notion.
  • 📱 The system is designed to be mobile-friendly, allowing users to quickly record and convert thoughts on the go.
  • 📚 The video also mentions the Ultimate Brain template for Notion, which includes a robust note-taking system.
  • 🔗 A discount code for the Ultimate Brain template is available in the video description.

Q & A

  • What is the purpose of the bot described in the video?

    -The bot described in the video is designed to take voice notes, convert them into text, and then organize this text into a structured format that includes a summary, main points, and action items, all of which are sent to the user's notes database in Notion.

  • Which AI tools are used in the automation process described?

    -The two AI tools used in the automation process are OpenAI's Whisper model, which converts audio files into transcripts, and ChatGPT, which generates summaries and lists of action items and main points from the transcript.

  • How can the user customize the output of the AI tools?

    -The user can customize the output by changing the prompt given to ChatGPT. This allows for different types of outputs, such as a blog post draft, based on the voice note input.

  • What is the role of the cloud storage provider in this workflow?

    -The cloud storage provider, such as Google Drive, is used to store the audio files. It also serves as the trigger point for the automation, as the system monitors a specific folder for new audio file uploads.

  • What is Pipe Dream and how does it fit into the described workflow?

    -Pipe Dream is an automation builder that integrates all the other apps and services involved in the workflow. It is responsible for initiating the automation process each time a new audio file is uploaded to the cloud storage.

  • How does the user ensure that the automation only triggers for specific folders in Google Drive?

    -The user sets up the trigger in Pipe Dream to only activate when a new file is added to a specific folder in Google Drive, ensuring that the automation is not initiated for every file in the entire Google Drive account.

  • What is the benefit of using Markdown formatting in the workflow?

    -Markdown formatting allows for well-structured and readable text. It enables the creation of headings, bullet lists, and other text elements that can be parsed by Pipe Dream and sent to Notion in a clean and organized manner.

  • What is the Ultimate Brain template mentioned in the video?

    -The Ultimate Brain template is a comprehensive productivity template for Notion created by the video's presenter. It includes features like task management, project management dashboard, goal tracking, and a full note-taking system, which is particularly useful for the AI transcription and summarization workflow.

  • How can users get notified about new Notion tutorials or templates released by the presenter?

    -Users can sign up for the Notion Tips email newsletter, which is mentioned to have a link in the video description. This will keep them updated on new tutorials, templates, and other Notion-related content released by the presenter.

  • What is the significance of the 'temperature' setting in ChatGPT?

    -The 'temperature' setting in ChatGPT influences the creativity of the output. A higher temperature setting will result in more creative and varied responses, while a lower setting, like 0.2 used in the video, will lead to more straightforward and consistent output.

  • What are the limitations of the 'no code' version of the workflow presented in the video?

    -The 'no code' version of the workflow has a limitation in terms of file size, as Whisper has a 25 megabyte file limit. For transcribing longer content, one would need to use the 'code heavy' version of the workflow, which is explained in the written tutorial.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Building an Automated Voice Notes to Notion Workflow

The speaker introduces a bot that converts voice notes to text, then to a summary with main points and action items within Notion. The process is automated using OpenAI's Whisper model for transcription and ChatGPT for summarization. The video offers a guide on setting up this workflow, emphasizing its hands-off operation once established. The speaker also discusses the potential for customization and the integration of Notion as a 'second brain' for note-taking.

05:02

📝 Setting Up the Workflow with Necessary Tools

The video outlines the four tools needed for the workflow: a Notion account with a Notes database, an OpenAI account for the Whisper and ChatGPT APIs, a cloud storage provider like Google Drive for audio uploads, and a Pipe Dream account to automate the process. The speaker demonstrates how to set up the automation using these tools, starting with creating a Pipe Dream workflow and setting Google Drive as the trigger.

10:02

🔗 Connecting Google Drive and Downloading Audio for Transcription

The speaker guides viewers on connecting a Google Drive account to Pipe Dream and setting up a trigger for a specific folder. The process involves uploading an audio file to Google Drive, which then triggers the Pipe Dream automation. The audio file is downloaded into Pipe Dream's temporary storage before being sent to Whisper for transcription, highlighting the need to dynamically reference file properties.

15:03

✍️ Transcribing Audio and Summarizing with OpenAI's APIs

After downloading the audio file, the speaker explains how to use OpenAI's Whisper API to transcribe the audio and then ChatGPT to create a summary. The video covers how to connect an OpenAI account, select the audio file, and test the transcription. It also addresses potential errors, such as file expiration in the temp directory or workflow timeouts, and suggests solutions like increasing the timeout limit.

20:07

📚 Formatting the Output and Preparing for Notion

The speaker discusses how to format the transcription and summary for Notion using Markdown and delimiters to separate the title, summary, and lists. The video provides a detailed explanation of constructing a prompt for ChatGPT, emphasizing the importance of a well-crafted prompt for better output. It also includes a step-by-step guide on setting system instructions for ChatGPT to ensure consistent, well-formatted responses.

25:09

💾 Adding a Node Code Step for Data Separation

To separate the title, summary, and lists for individual placement on a Notion page, the speaker adds a Node code step to the workflow. This step uses JavaScript code to format the data, which is then tested to ensure it outputs the desired object with separate properties for the title, summary, and additional information. The code also formats the transcript into paragraphs for better readability in Notion.

30:11

🔖 Creating a New Notion Page with the Transcription

The final step involves sending the formatted data to Notion to create a new page. The speaker connects a Notion account, selects the appropriate database, and sets the page content using Markdown syntax. The video also covers setting optional fields like the page icon and additional properties, demonstrating how to dynamically reference values from the previous steps. Upon successful testing, the workflow is deployed to automate the process for future audio files.

35:13

🎉 Conclusion and Further Resources

The speaker concludes by encouraging viewers to implement the workflow and share their thoughts. They promote the Ultimate Brain template for a comprehensive note-taking system in Notion and offer additional resources, including a Notion Fundamentals course and a newsletter for updates. The video ends with a reminder to subscribe for future content and engage with the speaker on social media.

Mindmap

Keywords

AI

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is used to automate the process of taking voice notes, transcribing them into text, and summarizing the content, which is central to the video's theme of efficient note-taking.

Voice Notes

Voice notes are audio recordings typically made on smartphones or other devices, used for capturing thoughts or information verbally. In the video, the speaker discusses building a bot that converts voice notes into text, which is a key part of the workflow demonstrated.

Transcription

Transcription is the process of converting spoken language into written form. The video script mentions using OpenAI's Whisper model to transcribe audio files into text, which is a fundamental step in the described workflow.

Summary

A summary is a condensed version of a longer text, highlighting the main points in a concise manner. The video outlines how ChatGPT is used to generate summaries from transcribed text, which helps in creating a brief overview of the voice notes' content.

Action Items

Action items refer to specific tasks or steps that need to be carried out, often as a result of a meeting or discussion. In the script, the speaker mentions that the AI tool can generate a list of action items from the voice notes, which aids in organizing and prioritizing subsequent tasks.

Notion

Notion is an all-in-one productivity and organization tool used for note-taking, project management, and database creation. The video demonstrates how to integrate AI-generated text and summaries into a Notion database, showcasing its role as a central hub for the speaker's notes.

OpenAI's Whisper Model

OpenAI's Whisper model is an AI tool designed for transcribing audio into text. It is highlighted in the video as the technology that converts voice notes into a written format, which is then used for further processing and analysis.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an AI language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text based on given prompts. In the context of the video, it is used to create summaries and lists of action items from the transcribed text, which streamlines the note-taking process.

Automation

Automation refers to the process of making a system or process operate automatically. The main theme of the video is about setting up an automated workflow where voice notes are converted to text, summarized, and organized without manual intervention.

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is a service that allows users to store and access data over the internet, rather than on a local hard drive. In the script, Google Drive is mentioned as a cloud storage provider where audio files are uploaded to trigger the automation process.

Pipe Dream

Pipe Dream is an automation builder platform that connects various apps and services to create automated workflows. It is used in the video to integrate the different components, such as Google Drive, OpenAI's Whisper and ChatGPT, and Notion, to automate the note-taking process.

Highlights

The author built a bot that converts voice notes to text and sends them to a Notion database.

The bot provides a full summary, main points, and action items from the voice notes.

OpenAI's Whisper model is used to transcribe audio to text.

ChatGPT generates summaries and lists from the transcript.

The workflow is automated and hands-off once set up.

The process involves using Google Drive for cloud storage, Pipe Dream for automation, and Notion for note storage.

The author shares tips for writing better prompts to customize the output.

The AI tools widen the pipeline between the author's brain and their digital second brain in Notion.

The Ultimate Brain template for Notion is mentioned as a comprehensive productivity system.

The automation process is triggered when an audio file is uploaded to a specific Google Drive folder.

Pipe Dream is used to connect and automate the various services involved in the workflow.

The Whisper API is queried to transcribe the audio file.

ChatGPT API is used to summarize the transcribed text.

Formatting is applied to organize the information before sending it to Notion.

The final step is to create a new page in Notion with the formatted information.

The author discusses potential errors and how to resolve them during the setup process.

The importance of a good prompt for ChatGPT to generate quality output is emphasized.

The use of Markdown formatting is shown to improve the presentation of the information in Notion.

The workflow is tested and deployed to automate the process for future audio files.

The no-code method has limitations, but a code-heavy method is available for more complex needs.

The Ultimate Brain template is recommended for an advanced note-taking system in Notion.

The author provides resources for further learning and customization of Notion workflows.