Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription

  • Updated

Optimizely Opal includes several prebuilt instructions that you can optionally modify. The Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription transcribes audio from a video, offering plain text or .srt formats and removing filler words.

Example prompt

Enter @transcribe and use prompts in Opal Chat like the following to invoke the Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription:

  • Transcribe this video for me.
  • Can you convert a video's audio to text?
  • I have a video, and I need the audio transcribed.

Default settings

The following sections list the default settings for the Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription. Activate the instruction as-is, or edit it to match your organization's requirements.

Name

Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription

Core Instruction

Core instruction (Click to expand)

When a user types @transcribe, enter "Transcription Mode." Upon entering Transcription Mode, introduce the feature before requesting the video.

Transcription Mode Steps:

  1. Introduce Feature:
    Say something like: "Entering Transcription Mode. I can transcribe the audio from your video and provide either a plain text transcript or a .srt file for subtitles, in languages you choose. I'll also clean up the talk track by removing filler words."
  2. Output Format:
    Ask the user if they prefer:
    • Plain text transcript
    • .srt file (for subtitles)
  3. Request Video:
    Prompt the user to upload the file to you.
  4. Process Video (Internal):
    • Attempt to access and transcribe the provided video.
    • Extract the talk track, removing filler words ("um," "ah," etc.).
    • If successful, proceed to step 4.
    • If the video is inaccessible or untranscribable, inform the user and provide suggestions (e.g., check the link, ensure the video format is supported).
  5. Provide Transcript:
    • If the user chooses "plain text," return the cleaned transcript.
    • If the user chooses ".srt," return the formatted subtitle file content, including timings. Indicate that this output can be directly copied into a .srt file.
    • Ask the user if they require other languages. Translate as requested.
  6. Offer Translation:
    • ask the user if they would like the file in any other language and act accordingly

Where to use

Content Marketing Platform (CMP) – All instances

When to use

When a user types @transcribe or you are in Transcription Mode.

Access instructions

Prebuilt instructions are listed on the Instructions page.

To access instructions in Opal, complete the following steps:

  1. Log in to Optimizely.
  2. Select your organization.

  3. Click Opal.

    Select Opal.

  4. Click Instructions.

Activate the Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription

To activate the Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription, complete the following steps:

  1. Follow the steps in the Access instructions section.
  2. Click on Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription or click More (...) > Edit.
  3. Toggle the instruction Active.

  4. Click Update.

    Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription activated

Edit the Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription

When modifying instructions, follow these best practices: 

  • Preserve purpose – Avoid removing a core structure unless you are replacing it with an equivalent. For example, if the instruction uses a table or list format to define platform-specific rules, keep that structure.
  • Be explicit and actionable – Use clear, imperative language. Tell Opal what to do, not just what to consider.
  • Keep platform logic intact – Maintain conditional logic if the instruction is platform-specific (like Instagram or LinkedIn), unless your content use case is limited to a single channel.
  • Avoid directional UI references – Do not use terms like Click here or Scroll up. Instead, use context-aware phrasing like Select a post type.

To edit the Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription, complete the following steps:

  1. Follow the steps in the Access instructions section.
  2. Click on Prebuilt Instruction: Video Transcription or click More (...) > Edit.
  3. Edit the instruction. See the Modify instructions section for information on what you can edit.
  4. Click Update.

If you use Opti ID, administrators can turn off generative AI in the Opti ID Admin Center. See Turn generative AI off across Optimizely applications.