How we built a batch audio transcription pipeline for 47,000 WhatsApp voice notes and videos — multilingual Southeast Asian speech, resume-safe, $19 total cost.
I had 21 scripts, 19 JSON files, and 80 percent coverage. After one afternoon of refactoring into a single CLI with SQLite and parallel Chrome instances, I hit 97 percent. Here is what I learned about turning script chaos into a real pipeline.
I used to teach top-down: big picture first, details later. Then I realized most people learn the other way around. This is a small shift in how I think about training.
I ran payroll with an AI agent. Not coding. Actual HR work. We caught 4 bugs, verified 10 payslips, and discovered that 40 percent meta-work overhead pays for itself in one cycle.