AI Note Taking App Free Showdown: Pick Fast With Our Test Matrix

Start with a clear matrix and a fast decision path

Skimming for the fastest pick? Start here. This compact matrix shows what you actually get on the free tier when you search for an ai note taking app free. If you just want the best free ai note taking app for your workflow, scan minutes, file length, and privacy controls first, then check exports and integrations.

Why most AI note lists fail you

• Hidden caps like per-call limits, storage quotas, or AI credit ceilings.

• Exports locked or watermarked until you pay.

• Integrations and automation gated behind higher tiers.

• Assumed Zoom-only workflows that break in Meet or Teams.

• Unclear privacy, retention, or deletion controls.

Quick decision guide

If you need multimodal notes and presentations, pick a canvas-first tool; if you run back-to-back calls, choose a meeting-focused notetaker.

Prefer an ai that listens and takes notes hands-off? Pick an ai meeting note taker with reliable live support and clear deletion controls. Chasing the best ai note taker for exports and downstream writing? Prioritize Markdown or Notion output.

1. Pick one tool to test today.

2. Connect Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams.

3. Import or record a 5 minute sample.

4. Export to your doc hub in Markdown, Word, or Notion.

5. Verify deletion controls and retention on the privacy or trust page.

How to get the best transcription quality

• Use a headset mic and speak near the mic.

• Minimize cross talk and pause between speakers.

• State names at the start to help diarization.

• Choose a quiet room or reduce background noise.

You will notice this matrix trims research time so you can quickly shortlist the best ai note taking app or any free ai note taking app that fits your workflow today.

Our transparent test plan and scoring system

Sounds complex? It should not be. Here is exactly how we test so you can reproduce results before you commit to an ai note taking app free. The goal is fairness, repeatability, and clear trade offs you can see.

Audio scenarios and accents

To mirror real work, we run solo dictation and 3-6 person calls, mix accents, and vary quiet rooms versus light cafe noise. We also repeat runs, because a single meeting can be a fluke. In the Zoom AI Quality report, each scenario was executed five times to reduce variability; mirror that zoomcom test discipline when you evaluate options. For fairness, ask speakers to state names, keep mics 6-12 inches away, avoid overlap, and disable aggressive noise suppression when it garbles voices.

Repeatable export and integration tests

1. Sign up on the free tier and finish onboarding for each tool.

2. Connect Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Schedule a zoom test meeting and a google meet test, and enable teams transcription if policy allows.

3. Record or import a short sample that includes intros, decisions, and dates. Optionally include a small youtube transcript clip to compare phrasing.

4. Generate the summary and action items, then review speaker labels and timestamps.

5. Export to Markdown, Notion, and Word, paste into your meeting notes template, verify deletion controls and retention settings, and repeat the scenario five times to check variance.

If you want fully controlled capture for reproducible trials, this engineering write up shows how to scrape Meet captions with a headless bot while keeping data in your environment: build a Google Meet bot.

Scoring criteria for free tiers

• Transcription quality across accents and overlapping speech.

• Speed from call end to usable summary and action items.

• Free quota realities and per meeting caps.

• Export fidelity and supported formats for downstream docs.

• Integrations and reliability across conferencing and work apps.

• Privacy controls, admin guardrails, and clarity of data use.

Include specific performance data if available in reference materials; otherwise explain trade-offs without numbers.

Privacy and compliance checklist

• Encryption in transit and at rest.

• Default and adjustable data retention timelines.

• Model provider disclosures and whether your data trains models.

• Claims such as SOC 2, GDPR, or HIPAA as applicable.

• User-level deletion and admin audit logs.

With this method, you can compare meeting bots and canvas first workspaces on equal terms, setting up the deeper reviews that follow.

AFFiNE AI multimodal copilot for notes and presentations

Still turning raw notes into slides by hand? When ideas must become documents, diagrams, and decks fast, a canvas-first ai note taking app is the time saver. AFFiNE AI takes a different path than meeting bots by unifying writing, whiteboarding, and presenting on one canvas, then layering inline AI to speed every step.

Standout strengths for multimodal work

• Unified canvas for documents, whiteboards, and database-like structure, so planning, drafting, and visual thinking live together.

• Inline AI editing where you work: refine tone, summarize, translate, or outline without leaving the page.

• Instant mind map generation from rough notes, pasted docs, or images to reveal themes and dependencies quickly.

• One-click presentation creation to move from notes to a deck and present inside the workspace.

• Canvas-native creativity with edgeless whiteboarding and AI-assisted visuals that keep context next to decisions.

• Not a bot that auto-joins calls. Pair it with your preferred capture tool if you need live meeting transcription.

If you are comparing the best ai powered note taking apps, prioritize tools that shorten the path from capture to presentation. You will notice AFFiNE leans into that end-to-end creation flow.

Free plan limits and what you get

Evaluating an ai note taking app free option? Start with a quick trial to validate the core loop: inline edits, mind maps, and slide creation. Because vendors update quotas, confirm any caps on AI actions, presentation exports, and offline use before team rollout. Treat the free tier as a workflow test, then check governance and integrations you will rely on.

Inline AI editing and instant mind maps

Imagine pasting messy bullets and getting a clean brief in seconds. Select text, ask AI to tighten wording or extract action items, then convert the same section into a mind map to visualize priorities. This turns an ai notes generator into a practical planning surface where edits and structure happen side by side.

One-click presentations and exports

When updates are due, generate a deck from your canvas and present without switching apps. For handoffs, you can always copy content into your doc hub or wiki. If you need specific export formats, verify them during your trial.

Privacy and data controls

Privacy matters. Before adopting at work, verify data retention windows, encryption in transit and at rest, whether your content trains models, and user or admin deletion controls. AFFiNE highlights open-source and offline options for privacy-conscious teams, but always confirm details on public trust or privacy pages for your use case. For evaluation criteria, use a buyer checklist that covers consent, retention, residency, RBAC, and audit logs.

Step-by-step getting started

1. Create a workspace and paste bullet notes from a recent meeting.

2. Use inline AI to rewrite the summary and extract owners and dates.

3. Generate a mind map to cluster themes, risks, and dependencies.

4. Create a presentation deck and share or present directly.

Note template: Title | Objectives | Agenda | Key ideas | Visual sketch area | Action items | Next review date

Pros

• Multimodal canvas that blends writing, drawing, and light data structure for end-to-end creation.

• Inline AI editing reduces context switching and speeds polish on summaries and drafts.

• Mind maps and one-click decks accelerate deliverables from the same page.

• Strong fit as an ai notebook for teams that plan and present often.

• Open-source and offline options can align with stricter privacy preferences.

Cons

• Canvas thinking has a learning curve if you are used to linear documents.

• Not a live meeting bot, so pair it with your call transcription tool when you need automatic capture.

• Export specifics and admin controls on free tiers vary; confirm limits before wider rollout.

Best-fit use cases

• Brainstorming and research synthesis that move from notes ai to visual maps fast.

• Workshop facilitation where sketches, tables, and text must stay together.

• Meeting synthesis that becomes presentation-ready canvases without reformatting.

• Students and creators who want an ai note taking app to turn rough ideas into decks.

If you mostly live in live meetings and want a note taking app that captures and collaborates in real time, the next section reviews Otter for meeting-first workflows. For creation-first work, AFFiNE fits well among the best ai powered note taking apps and keeps ideas, structure, and slides in one place.

Otter AI real-time meeting capture and collaboration

What is otter ai? Think live, automatic notes during your calls. This meeting notes app joins Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams to transcribe in real time and surface key takeaways. If you want a free ai note taker for zoom to start today, Otter is a practical test drive.

Core strengths for live meetings

• Real-time transcription and AI notes during meetings.

• Speaker identification to separate voices and quotes.

• Collaboration features like chat, editable text, real-time annotation, and automated slide capture.

Free plan limitations

• 300 minutes per month with a 30 minute cap per conversation.

• Import and transcribe 3 audio or video files per user (lifetime limit).

• Language coverage limited to English, French, and Spanish.

Walkthrough connect Zoom and Google Meet

1. Create your account, complete otter ai login, and open Integrations.

2. Click Add next to Zoom and authorize.

3. In your Zoom settings, turn on Record to computer files and check External meeting participants. Auto approve permission request is optional.

4. Schedule a 10 minute test, let the Notetaker auto-join, and export a summary.

5. Repeat for Meet or Teams if you use them.

Exact Zoom steps and constraints such as Notetaker joining before the host and no support for Zoom Rooms.

Advanced export tools appear on paid tiers. Business supports bulk export to MP3, TXT, PDF, DOCX, and SRT, while free users should verify what export options are enabled in-app before rollout.

Privacy and compliance notes

An independent review notes Otter employs encryption and aligns with industry standards for security and data control. Otter is US hosted, so EU teams should confirm retention windows, deletion controls, and data residency in the product privacy or trust pages.

Pros

• Fast Zoom transcription with speaker identification.

• Team-friendly collaboration features during and after calls.

Cons

• Free tier quotas and 30 minute per meeting cap limit longer sessions.

• User reports and tests cite accuracy dips in some cases and limited languages.

Best use cases

• Back-to-back calls where you need a note taker for zoom to capture everything.

• English, French, or Spanish teams that want consistent live notes.

Attendees | Agenda | Decisions | Action items owner and due date | Risks

Troubleshooting and accuracy tips

• Ask speakers to state their names at the start and when they rejoin.

• Reduce overlap and let people finish thoughts before jumping in.

• For hybrid rooms, use a cardioid mic and place it 6–12 inches from the talker.

Ready to go deeper on automated follow-ups and team workflows beyond capture? Up next is a meeting assistant focused on action items and shared memory.

Fireflies AI automated notes and action items for teams

Running sales demos, QBRs, and internal syncs back to back and worried you will miss follow ups? Fireflies AI acts like an ai powered meeting assistant that turns conversations into searchable memory and action items. If you want ai for meeting minutes without heavy setup, its free tier is a practical place to start.

What the free plan includes

• 3 to 10 starter transcription credits based on how you sign up, used for meeting summaries and uploads.

• 800 minutes of storage per seat for recordings and uploads.

• 20 monthly AI credits for features like AskFred, AI Soundbites, and tailored summaries.

• Transcription in 100+ languages, with per meeting language selection for better accuracy.

• Upload MP3, MP4, WAV, or M4A up to 100MB and 150 minutes per file.

• Downloading transcripts requires a paid plan. Sharing recaps is available on free.

• Integrations with other apps like CRMs and project tools require a paid plan.

Connect Zoom or Teams step by step

1. Sign up and authorize your Google or Outlook calendar.

2. Invite the fireflies note taker to your calendar event so it can auto join and record.

3. Run a 10 minute test on Zoom or Microsoft Teams, then review the transcript and recap.

4. Generate AI notes and action items. Confirm the meeting language setting if accents vary.

5. Share the recap or push tasks to your work apps via integrations.

Exports and CRM friendly outputs

• Use integrations to send tasks or insights to CRMs and project tools.

• Share recaps with teammates or external guests. Non participants can view transcripts by link.

• If you need local downloads, note they require a paid plan.

• Integration categories on free: video conferencing, CRMs, project management, and dialers.

Privacy and compliance highlights

• You own your data and it is not used for model training by default.

• Encryption at rest with AES 256 and TLS in transit.

• Certified for GDPR and SOC 2 Type II. HIPAA BAA available on enterprise tiers.

• 0 day retention with vendors, plus user deletion controls and admin options.

Pros

• Strong free tier for team collaboration, search, and integrations.

• Over 100 languages and AI summaries suited to ai for meeting minutes.

• Easy sharing of recaps to internal or external stakeholders.

Cons

• Starter credits limit uploads and some AI features.

• Transcript downloads are paywalled on free.

• 800 minute storage cap requires periodic cleanup.

Best use cases

• Sales and success teams needing a meeting minutes app with follow ups routed to CRM.

• Cross functional project reviews where searchable history matters.

• Distributed teams comparing the best ai for meeting notes on a free tier.

Follow up email template: Thanks for your time today | Decisions: [decision 1, decision 2] | Action items: [owner 1 - due], [owner 2 - due] | Next steps: [step 1, step 2] | Resources: [links] | Next meeting: [date and time]

Want a lighter tool that leans into clean recaps and simple action tracking over deep conversation intelligence? Continue to the next section for a streamlined summary first approach.

Read AI clean meeting summaries and action tracking

Want a recap you can read in a minute? This summary first note taking ai app focuses on crisp ai meeting summaries and clear action items so you can move fast. If you are comparing the best minute taking app options, this one favors digestible outputs over heavy dashboards.

Strengths and differentiators

• Live capture that turns meetings into structured highlights, decisions, and owners.

• Works with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, so it fits most call setups.

• Teams friendly workflows that can post summaries and action items where your team already collaborates.

• Search across past conversations to resurface commitments and context.

Free plan constraints

• Credit capped free tier, so heavy meeting weeks may run into limits. Free transcripts are also retained only for 30 days before auto deletion, which limits long term reference value.

• Advanced capabilities vary by plan. Treat the free tier as an evaluation window, not a full team rollout.

How to connect Google Meet or Teams

1. Create an account and authorize your work calendar so the assistant can see eligible events.

2. For Microsoft Teams, add the app and connect it from your Integrations page. Configure where summaries post, and let workspace admins set guardrails as needed.

3. Enable auto join for test events or invite the bot manually.

4. Run a 10 minute test call and review the recap and action items in your dashboard or Teams.

5. Export or copy the summary into your meeting notes template.

Export options and workflows

• Share a link to the recap or push it to Teams channels you chose during setup.

• Copy summaries and action lists into your doc hub or project tracker. If you need specific file exports, verify what is enabled on your tier in app.

Recap template: Project | Decisions | Blockers | Dependencies | Owners

Privacy, retention, and compliance

You will notice the convenience comes with deep integrations. Review permissions carefully. There are well documented concerns about broad access requests and bots auto joining when calendar rules allow, and even institutional cautions have been published. Before rollout, verify data retention windows, what the app can access, and how to remove data and revoke tokens on the product privacy or trust pages.

Pros

• Fast, readable recaps with action items for quick follow through.

• Solid fit as a free meeting note taker if you only need a few calls captured each month.

• Teams integration that posts summaries where work happens.

Cons

• Credit caps and 30 day retention on free can be restrictive for ongoing projects.

• Some features vary by plan, so confirm exports and playback before standardizing.

• Permissions may feel broad in strict IT environments. Align with your policy first.

Best use cases

• Leaders and PMs who want ai meeting summaries they can skim between back to back calls.

• Teams that live in Microsoft Teams and want automated posts to channels.

• Light usage patterns where a free app for meeting minutes is enough.

• Shoppers comparing the best free meeting minutes app options will want to use retention and deletion controls as tie breakers.

Performance tips for accuracy and clarity

• Reduce background noise and ask people to avoid talking over each other.

• Set etiquette like name then point to help attribution.

• Use headset mics for remote attendees to improve capture quality.

Prefer a minimalist ai note taker app that feels like a quick notepad rather than a bot integration? The next pick keeps capture fast and focused for people in back to back meetings.

Granola streamlined notepad with fast summaries

Back to back calls and no time to babysit a bot? Granola feels like a lightweight digital notes taker that turns conversations into structured ai notes fast, without joining your meetings as a participant.

Where it excels

• Bot free capture on desktop. It transcribes your mic and system audio, so it works with any meeting platform.

• Real time transcription plus AI summaries help you leave each call with clear takeaways and action items.

• Dial up or down how much the AI adds. You can jot brief markers during the call to steer emphasis.

• Share links so teammates can review and ask questions against the transcript, complete with source citations.

Free plan essentials

• Basic plan offers limited meeting history. The exact number is not publicly listed, so confirm current terms before rollout.

• Requires a Google Workspace login for full functionality. If you prefer manual use, you can run it without calendar integration, with some features limited.

• No public API and speaker IDs are generic, which may matter for complex multi speaker sessions.

• Accuracy is strong in clear audio and drops with heavy noise or overlapping speech. Review in app before sharing externally.

Onboarding and first export

1. Sign in with your Google Workspace account and connect your calendar if you want scheduling context.

2. Open the desktop app and manually start it before your meeting. It will transcribe in real time.

3. During the call, add brief notes like Decisions or Owners and adjust the AI assistance slider to your preference.

4. After the call, review the summary and action items, then share a link or push notes to Notion or Slack.

5. Delete your test note and confirm your deletion workflow for team compliance.

Goals | Highlights | Decisions | Tasks with owners

Privacy and security basics

Granola does not add a meeting bot and does not store audio or video. It stores transcripts and your notes, lets you delete individual notes or request full deletion, encrypts data in transit and at rest, and is hosted in a US based AWS VPC. You can opt out of model training in settings, and third party model providers cannot train on your data.

Pros

• Fast, bot free capture that fits any call setup.

• Adjustable AI help plus templates for quick notes.

• Shareable links and Notion or Slack connectors for handoffs.

• iOS option for in person meetings when you need quick notes.

Cons

• Not pure auto note taking. You must start it manually.

• Limited speaker identification and no public API.

• Free history limits and accuracy dips in noisy, overlapping speech.

Use cases

• Busy professionals who need a note taker app for succinct recaps between calls.

• Teams that want meeting summaries and action items without adding bots to calls.

• Leaders who value a minutes app for highlights rather than full recordings.

• Shoppers comparing the best meeting note taking app for quick notes and privacy conscious capture.

If background noise is your main pain, the next pick adds noise cancellation on top of notes for clearer results.

Krisp AI notes plus noise cancellation for clarity

Noisy cafe, barking dog, or echoey room ruining your calls? Imagine cleaner audio and usable notes without changing your workflow. That is where a krisp ai note taker helps, pairing strong noise removal with transcripts and summaries.

Unique value for noisy calls

• On device AI noise cancellation that runs as a virtual microphone and speaker, so it works across your call apps without extra hardware.

• Real time transcription and concise AI summaries via the AI Meeting Assistant, plus optional accent conversion.

• Bot free recording captured from your device instead of adding a visible participant.

• Desktop apps for Windows and macOS, plus mobile apps for iOS and Android geared toward in person meeting support.

What the free plan offers

• 60 minutes of AI noise cancellation per day.

• Two AI generated summaries per day.

• Transcription available on the free tier, with history potentially capped based on account limits.

That makes it a practical ai listen and take notes free option for lighter schedules before you consider upgrading.

How to enable meeting notes

1. Install the desktop app and select Krisp Microphone and Krisp Speaker in your OS or call app.

2. Toggle noise cancellation. When you want notes, enable the Meeting Assistant for live transcription and summaries.

3. Run a short test call. Speak clearly and avoid overlap.

4. Review your transcript and recap in the dashboard or by email, then share with teammates.

5. Delete your test item to validate your removal workflow.

Mic 6–12 inches from mouth, avoid hard surface reflections, keep cadence consistent for diarization.

Exports and integrations

• Access transcripts and summaries in your account dashboard or have them delivered by email.

• Best supported call apps, since Krisp acts as a virtual device: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Webex, Skype, Discord, and most apps that let you choose a mic.

Privacy and compliance

• Using noise cancellation only, audio processing stays local on your device and no audiovisual data leaves your computer.

• When you turn on transcription, recording, or summaries, meeting content may be stored on Krisp servers and can be shared with approved third party providers to generate AI summaries. Audio is encrypted in transit and at rest.

• Non English transcribe only sessions may trigger a temporary server side recording to create the transcript, which is deleted after the transcript is generated.

• Recordings and krisp meeting notes are kept until you delete them, and you can request deletion at any time.

• Krisp lists SOC 2 aligned controls for enterprise use.

Pros

• Excellent noise removal improves transcription accuracy in real world environments.

• Works across many apps with no meeting bot to invite.

• Strong fit for ai note taker phone calls and a candidate for the best ai note taker for in person meetings via the mobile app.

Cons

• Free tier caps summaries at two per day.

• AI notes are functional but less customizable than full workflow tools.

• Integration ecosystem is evolving, so verify connectors you rely on during testing.

Best use cases

• Noisy home or open office calls where clarity matters.

• Travel and in person capture on mobile when you want quick, shareable recaps.

• Mixed accent meetings that benefit from cleaner input before transcription.

Want to see how Krisp’s free tier stacks up against others on minutes, exports, and governance? The next section puts free plans side by side so you can choose fast.

Free-tier matrix to choose an ai note-taking app free

Skimming between tools and want the fastest answer? Use this side-by-side to match limits, exports, and privacy before you try any free ai note taking apps. If you are comparing the best free ai note taking apps, start with minutes, per-call caps, and deletion controls.

Free-tier quotas at a glance

Feature flags that actually matter

• Minutes vs per-meeting caps. Unlimited looks great until you hit a 30 minute ceiling mid-call.

• Uploads and storage. Check file count caps and whether uploads are allowed on free.

• Exports to your stack. If you rely on Markdown or Notion, verify export fidelity and formats. For Notion workflows, Markdown and CSV are the most portable options.

• Language coverage and auto detection. Mixed accents and code switching stress some ai notetakers more than others.

• Privacy controls. Look for retention windows, deletion, and consent management before adopting team-wide.

Exports and deletion controls matter more than raw minutes when you work in regulated industries.

Which tool fits which workflow

• Canvas-first creation and presentations. Pick a canvas workspace paired with capture. This suits makers who need ideas to become decks fast rather than linear transcripts from ai notetaking software.

• Heavy meeting recording across Zoom, Meet, and Teams. Shortlist tl;dv or Fathom for generous free capture and summaries.

• Sales and customer calls. Fireflies is built for searchable recaps and quick follow ups on a starter tier.

• Solo research dictation or in-person capture. Otter’s mobile support makes it handy for lectures and interviews.

• Privacy-first or strict compliance. Consider a governance-first assistant with SOC 2 and HIPAA in mind.

This matrix helps you narrow the best ai note taking apps by workflow, not hype. In the next section, you will turn your short list into action with a quick setup and upgrade checklist so you can pick the best software for meeting minutes and get back to work.

Make your pick and move ideas to outcomes

Still weighing an ai note taking app free option and not sure where to start? Choose by workflow, not hype. You will move faster and avoid reruns.

Choose by workflow not hype

• Meeting heavy schedule. If your day is back to back calls, start with a reliable capture bot or desktop recorder. Treat the free tier as a sprint test. The best free ai note taker is the one that exports cleanly and deletes cleanly.

• Makers and presenters. If you turn notes into diagrams and decks, a canvas first workspace saves time. The best app for ai note taking in this case helps you write, map, and present without switching tools.

• Students and researchers. Prefer an ai app that listens to lectures and takes notes, then lets you summarize and tag quickly for study sessions.

• Privacy first teams. Verify retention windows, encryption, and deletion controls before rollout. A clear data retention policy supports SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA expectations and should define how long items are kept and how they are disposed of data retention best practices.

When to upgrade from free

1. You keep hitting minute caps or per meeting limits and it blocks coverage.

2. You need team admin controls, audit trails, or role based access.

3. Legal asks for SOC 2 or GDPR assurances and documented retention settings.

4. You require exports beyond Markdown or need automated syncs to your stack.

5. You want automated slide creation from notes to speed updates.

The best tool is the one that moves your work forward with the least friction.

Our pick for multimodal creation

Juggle notes, diagrams, and decks in the same project? Consider a canvas first flow. Try dropping your last meeting bullets onto a canvas, generate a mind map, then draft slides. That is where AFFiNE AI fits well for creators who want inline editing, mind map summarization, and one click presentation generation noted in testing guidance. Always confirm export options and privacy settings on public pages before team rollout.

Fast path to confidence

• Pick one candidate today from your shortlist of ai note taker free tools.

• Run a 10 minute test that includes intros, decisions, and dates.

• Export to your doc hub, then delete the item and verify the removal path.

• Share the recap with a teammate and gather feedback on clarity and action items.

• Decide if this is your top ai note taker for the next month, or try the runner up.

In the end, the best ai note taking is the workflow you will actually use every day. Start small, verify privacy, and ship outcomes. Then upgrade only when limits slow you down.

FAQs about free AI note-taking apps

1. Is AI note-taking free?

Most leading tools offer a free tier, but expect limits such as minutes per month, per-meeting caps, restricted uploads, or shorter retention. To avoid surprises, run a quick trial: sign up, connect your meeting app, record a short call, export to your doc hub, and confirm deletion in the privacy or trust page. For creation workflows, a canvas-first option like AFFiNE AI can turn notes into mind maps and slides; check the free-tier AI action limits before rollout at https://affine.pro/ai.

2. What is the best free AI note-taking app for Zoom meetings?

Pick a meeting-focused notetaker that joins calls reliably, provides live transcripts, and supports clean exports. Run a 10 minute Zoom test meeting, verify speaker labeling, export a summary to Markdown or your doc hub, and confirm how to delete transcripts. If you work in teams, check calendar authorization, auto-join behavior, and retention controls before standardizing.

3. How do I choose between a meeting bot and a canvas-first workspace?

Choose by workflow. Meeting bots excel at hands-off capture and live notes across Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Canvas-first workspaces are better when you need to shape ideas into documents, mind maps, and presentations. If you want to write, draw, and present on one surface, try a canvas tool such as AFFiNE AI, then pair it with your preferred capture bot if needed.

4. How can I test an AI note taker before rolling it out to my team?

Use a repeatable mini-test: 1 set up the free tier and connect Zoom or Meet, 2 record a short call with multiple speakers and clear introductions, 3 generate the transcript and AI summary, 4 export to Markdown or your knowledge base, 5 delete the test item and verify the retention and removal path. Rerun the scenario with varied accents and a bit of ambient noise to check consistency.

5. What privacy checks should I do for AI note takers at work?

Confirm encryption in transit and at rest, default and adjustable retention windows, whether your data trains models, and how user or admins can delete content. Review compliance claims relevant to your org and ensure you have audit visibility. If a tool requests broad calendar or channel access, align permissions with company policy before enabling auto-join features.