How meeting note takers listen
Six ways an app gets hold of what was said. The way it listens decides who in the call knows, where the audio goes and what you have to set up.
A bot joins the call
- What it means
- An assistant joins Zoom, Meet or Teams as a participant with its own name and records the call from inside it.
- For the others in the call
- Everyone in the call sees it in the participant list, so the bot itself is the notice. Many also post a message in the chat.
- Setup
- The bot needs nothing installed on your computer: it joins the calls you send it to, whichever device you're on.
13 apps listen this way first
6 more can listen this way too
How the others are told
The bot shows in the call13 of 13
Automatic chat message8 of 13
Email to attendees8 of 13
Spoken announcement3 of 13
An app can use more than one way.
Where it transcribes
On device or in the cloud2 of 13
In the cloud11 of 13
Records on your computer
- What it means
- An app on your computer records the call's sound from your side: your microphone and what comes out of your speakers.
- For the others in the call
- Nothing joins the call, so the others see no guest arrive. Unless you or the app tell them, they won't know notes are being taken.
- Setup
- You install a desktop app or a browser extension on the computer you take calls on, and start it when the call starts.
8 apps listen this way first
23 more can listen this way too
How the others are told
The bot shows in the call1 of 8
Automatic chat message5 of 8
Email to attendees1 of 8
Nothing by default6 of 8
An app can use more than one way.
Where it transcribes
On your device1 of 8
On device or in the cloud1 of 8
In the cloud6 of 8
Trains AI on your recordings
Says it doesn't train on them5 of 8
Yes, unless you opt out1 of 8
Not stated2 of 8
Upload a file
- What it means
- You hand it a recording you already have, from a call, a lecture, a podcast or an interview, and get a transcript back.
- For the others in the call
- It never joins anything. Whether the others knew they were recorded depends on how the recording was made.
- Setup
- Upload a file in the browser or app. Some also sell human transcription, priced by the minute.
7 apps listen this way first
26 more can listen this way too
How the others are told
The bot shows in the call2 of 7
Nothing by default3 of 7
Not stated2 of 7
An app can use more than one way.
Where it transcribes
In the cloud7 of 7
Trains AI on your recordings
Says it doesn't train on them4 of 7
Only if you opt in2 of 7
Yes1 of 7
Only on your device
- What it means
- The speech recognition runs on your own Mac or phone, so the audio can be transcribed without leaving it.
- For the others in the call
- The app records or transcribes on your own machine and doesn't tell anyone, so letting people know is up to you.
- Setup
- Install the app on your Mac or phone. Some can also send audio to a cloud model if you choose; see where each one transcribes below.
4 apps listen this way first
3 more can listen this way too
How the others are told
Nothing by default4 of 4
An app can use more than one way.
Where it transcribes
On your device2 of 4
On device or in the cloud2 of 4
Trains AI on your recordings
Says it doesn't train on them4 of 4
A pocket recorder
- What it means
- A small device records the room and your phone calls, then syncs the recording to the maker's app.
- For the others in the call
- A recorder on the table doesn't announce itself, so telling people you're recording is up to you.
- Setup
- Buy the device, then pair it with the app. The transcription and summary happen in the maker's app after you sync.
5 apps listen this way first
How the others are told
Nothing by default2 of 5
Not stated3 of 5
An app can use more than one way.
Where it transcribes
In the cloud5 of 5
Trains AI on your recordings
Says it doesn't train on them4 of 5
Only if you opt in1 of 5
Built into your meeting app
- What it means
- Your meeting app writes the notes itself: Zoom, Teams, Meet, Webex, Slack and Notion all do on some plans.
- For the others in the call
- Most show an on-screen notice to everyone when notes or a transcript start, because the feature is part of the meeting.
- Setup
- No extra app: an admin or the host turns it on, if your plan includes it.
6 apps listen this way first
How the others are told
The bot shows in the call1 of 6
On-screen notice5 of 6
Automatic chat message2 of 6
Spoken announcement2 of 6
Nothing by default1 of 6
An app can use more than one way.
Where it transcribes
In the cloud6 of 6
Trains AI on your recordings
Says it doesn't train on them6 of 6