GPT-4o Transcribe
GPT-4o Transcribe is a speech-to-text model built on the GPT-4o architecture, delivering lower word error rates and stronger language recognition than the original Whisper models for production transcription workloads.
- Input and output price
- Input $2.50, Output $10, Per 1M tokens
import { experimental_transcribe as transcribe } from 'ai';import { gateway } from '@ai-sdk/gateway';import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
const result = await transcribe({ model: gateway.transcriptionModel('openai/gpt-4o-transcribe'), audio: await readFile('audio.mp3'),});Copy link to headingPlayground
Try out GPT-4o Transcribe by OpenAI. Usage is billed to your team at API rates. Free users (those who haven't made a payment) get $5 of credits every 30 days.
GPT-4o TranscribeSpeech to text
Record a short clip from your microphone and the model transcribes it to text.
Record a clip to see the transcript here.
Copy link to headingProviders
Route requests across multiple providers. Copy a provider slug to set your preference. Visit the docs for more info. Using a provider means you agree to their terms, listed under Legal.
Copy link to headingMore models by OpenAI
| Model |
|---|
| 1.1M | 2.9 s | 56 tps | $10/M+2 more | $50/M+2 more | Read$1/M Write$12.50/M | $10/K | +4 |  | 09/04/2026 | |||||
| 1.1M | 2.4 s | 156 tps | $0.20/M+2 more | $1.20/M+2 more | Read$0.02/M Write$0.25/M | $10/K | +4 |  | 07/09/2026 | |||||
| 1.1M | 2.6 s | 69 tps | $2/M+2 more | $10/M+2 more | Read$0.20/M Write$2.50/M | $10/K | +4 | | 07/09/2026 | |||||
| 1.1M | 2.6 s | 94 tps | $2/M+2 more | $12/M+2 more | Read$0.20/M Write$2.50/M | $10/K | +4 | | 07/09/2026 | |||||
| 1.1M | 3.5 s | 88 tps | $2.50/M+2 more | $15/M+2 more | Read$0.25/M | $10/K | +4 | | 03/05/2026 | |||||
| 400K | 4.4 s | 208 tps | $0.05/M | $0.40/M | Read$0.005/M | $14/K | +3 | | 08/07/2025 |
Copy link to headingAbout GPT-4o Transcribe
GPT-4o Transcribe launched on March 13, 2024 as part of OpenAI's next-generation audio models for the API. The model builds on the GPT-4o architecture and was extensively pretrained on specialized audio-centric datasets.
GPT-4o Transcribe improves word error rate over the Whisper model family across established benchmarks. On the FLEURS multilingual benchmark, GPT-4o Transcribe outperforms Whisper v2 and Whisper v3 across language evaluations. OpenAI attributes the advances to targeted reinforcement learning and midtraining with diverse, high-quality audio.
The practical effect is fewer misrecognitions in the conditions that break transcription products: heavy accents, noisy rooms, and varying speech speeds. Through AI Gateway, GPT-4o Transcribe runs behind the same key, observability, and spend controls as the rest of your model traffic.
Copy link to headingWhat To Consider When Choosing a Provider
- Configuration: Audio support on AI Gateway is in beta. GPT-4o Transcribe runs through the AI SDK's
transcribefunction, which accepts a file buffer, base64 string, or URL. For high-volume pipelines where cost per request dominates, benchmarkgpt-4o-mini-transcribefirst; the mini variant often gets close on clean audio. - Zero Data Retention: Zero Data Retention is offered on a per-provider and model basis. See the documentation for details.
- Authentication: AI Gateway authenticates requests using an API key or OIDC token. You do not need to manage provider credentials directly.
Copy link to headingWhen to Use GPT-4o Transcribe
Best for
- Production transcription quality: Word error rate directly affects the product and cleanup budgets
- Challenging audio conditions: Heavy accents, background noise, and variable speech speeds
- High-stakes transcripts: Support, sales, and compliance recordings where misrecognitions carry real cost
- Multilingual workloads: Strong FLEURS benchmark results across language evaluations
Consider alternatives when
- Cost-driven pipelines:
gpt-4o-mini-transcribehandles clean audio well at a lower rate - Speech translation needs:
whisper-1covers translation to English and language identification - Live voice agents: The gpt-realtime family handles speech-to-speech conversation directly
Copy link to headingConclusion
GPT-4o Transcribe is the model to reach for when transcript quality is the product. Route requests through AI Gateway with the AI SDK's transcribe function, and keep gpt-4o-mini-transcribe in reserve for the high-volume, cleaner-audio side of the pipeline.
Copy link to headingFrequently Asked Questions
How do I access GPT-4o Transcribe through AI Gateway?
Use the AI SDK's
transcribefunction from theaipackage with this model's slug. Audio support on AI Gateway is in beta. Authenticate with an AI Gateway API key or OIDC token; no OpenAI credentials are needed in your application.How does GPT-4o Transcribe compare to Whisper?
GPT-4o Transcribe improves word error rate over the original Whisper models and outperforms Whisper v2 and Whisper v3 on the FLEURS multilingual benchmark. The gains are largest on accents, noisy environments, and varying speech speeds.
When should I use gpt-4o-mini-transcribe instead?
Use the mini variant when volume and cost dominate and your audio is relatively clean. Reserve GPT-4o Transcribe for recordings where accuracy failures are expensive: noisy calls, strong accents, or compliance-grade transcripts.
Can I stream transcription results through AI Gateway?
AI Gateway transcription is batch today. Send a complete file buffer, base64 string, or URL with the
transcribefunction and receive the transcript in the response.How is GPT-4o Transcribe priced?
Pricing is listed on this page. Rates reflect the providers routing through AI Gateway and update when providers change list prices.
Does GPT-4o Transcribe support zero data retention through AI Gateway?
Zero Data Retention is not currently available for this model. Zero Data Retention is offered on a per-provider basis. See https://vercel.com/docs/ai-gateway/capabilities/zdr for details.
What are typical latency characteristics?
This page shows live performance metrics measured across real AI Gateway traffic.