AI tools could make copious writing of minutes of a meeting a thing of the past. Here are your best options
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Are you one of those unfortunate souls stuck in meetings all day? By the end of the day, all the meetings seem to be one big jumbled mess. Recording the minutes of the meeting may help jog your memory, but it is by far one of the most boring responsibilities in any organisation. So why not outsource it to AI? Several companies have seen the potential in this endeavour, and we have more than one option to choose from in this category.
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Fireflies
Fireflies.ai is my go-to AI note-taker; it has served me well during the COVID-19 epidemic and at the online press conferences I have had to attend over the last few years. It has let me think at these meetings instead of furiously taking down notes. The free version of the app does 800 minutes of AI-powered transcription and storage but a limited amount of analysis. That said, you can technically use the minutes and have ChatGPT analyse it. Fireflies integrates with Zoom and Google Meets, allowing seamless operation during meetings. It does a few more services but doesn’t have universal integration. However, it attends the conference as an extra attendee that your host must allow, which can be a bit annoying. The transcription quality may vary depending on the audio, but that would be true for most of the services on the list. However, since audio is stored, you can cross reference.
Web: https://fireflies.ai/
Otter.ai
Otter.ai does the whole transcription and minutes of meetings just like the other apps on this list. The speciality is the ability of Otter to recognise different speakers. It has a generous transcription allowance for free users and integrations with popular video conferencing platforms, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. Otter can also integrate with a variety of other programs like Slack, Google Docs, Salesforce, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook and Zapier. This makes Otter a very good option if you want to get your entire team on the platform. On the free tier you get 300 monthly transcriptions, 30 mins per conversation. Additionally, you can transcribe up to 3 audio or video files per account. The free version also has a conversation history of only 25 of the most recent ones, while the paid versions are all unlimited.
Link: otter.ai
Sembly AI
Sembly AI is another great too for managing the chaos of daily meetings. With no downloads required, it integrates effortlessly into platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Simply invite Sembly AI via email or link it to your calendar, and it’s ready to go. It also integrates with other popular services like Jira, Trello, One5 Drive5, Hubspot, Google Sheets and many more. What sets it apart is its powerful AI that not only transcribes meetings but also extracts key items such as actions, risks, and decisions, transforming them into smart, concise meeting summaries. The free version of Sembly is particularly handy, offering up to four hours of transcription each month — ideal for freelancers or small team leaders looking to streamline their meeting processes without financial commitment. It even allows for the uploading of an hour’s worth of meetings, ensuring that even those unexpected calls are covered.
Link: https://www.sembly.ai/
MeetGeek
MeetGeek is designed to simplify note-taking, it can record, transcribe, and summarize your meetings in real-time, ensuring that you never miss a detail. It stands out by offering deep integration with tools you already use daily, such as Google Workspace, Slack, and Trello, facilitating a seamless flow in your work environment. Like some of the other apps on this list, MeetGeek can detect meeting topics, use meeting templates, share meeting notes with the team, and have custom branding. The free basic plan provides five hours of transcription each month, it not only supports transcription but also enhances meeting accessibility by providing summaries that highlight key points and action items, making follow-ups a breeze. Meetgeek is not platform agnostic like a lot of the software on this list. Additionally, it doesn’t have any mobile integration which may be crucial for a lot of modern workloads. Regardless of these flaws MeetGeek is a good option to try out and see if it clicks all the right boxes.
Link: https://meetgeek.ai/
Bubbles
Though the name Bubbles makes it sound like its meant to be anything but a meeting tool. This app is designed to integrate with popular video conferencing platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. By syncing directly with your Google Calendar, it facilitates the recording and transcription of meetings without the need for additional downloads. It is particularly valuable for teams that operate asynchronously, allowing for the addition of video and text comments after meetings have concluded. This feature supports remote teams and those working across different time zones, ensuring that all members can contribute to the discussion at their convenience. The free plan is especially suitable for small teams or individuals looking to streamline their meeting processes. It offers basic recording and transcription capabilities which are sufficient for general needs. However there is a significant push to move on to the paid features especially if you start using it a lot.
Link: https://www.usebubbles.com/
Fellow
Fellow is free for teams of up to ten people making it idea for small teams and study groups. It does the whole integrations with Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft teams, it also does calendar integrations, meeting summaries and Action item tracking. However, Fellow is built for use in team meetings so it has a few unique features like private notes that let you make personal notes for meetings, A nifty meeting timer that will ensure your meeting stays on time and topic, note locking that ensures the integrity of your meeting notes and finally integration with project management tools like Confluence, Notion and others. It must be noted that the meeting recordings, transcription minutes and AI summaries are only available to paid users, starting at $7 per user. The tiers also determine what program integrations are available so have a look at their website before trying this one out.
Link: https://fellow.app/
Colibri
Colibri offers real-time transcription integrated directly within video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, making it exceptionally useful for those who need immediate textual output of their conversations. This feature not only aids participants with hearing difficulties but also benefits anyone who prefers visual reinforcement of spoken content. Colibri’s design emphasizes simplicity and accessibility, enabling users to start taking notes without any preliminary setup, which makes it ideal for anyone looking to streamline their meeting process efficiently. However, it does lacks features like audio editing and automated meeting summaries, which might be essential for some users. The free version of Colibri offers basic functionality, but for more comprehensive features, an upgrade maybe necessary. This tool is straightforward and focuses on enhancing meeting accessibility through its transcription capabilities.
Link: https://colibri.ai/