Imagine you're in charge of keeping detailed notes during a meeting — but ideas are flying and it’s hard to juggle listening, note-taking, and sharing all at once. As soon as your attention shifts, you miss crucial details and barely have time to summarize key points or jot down action items before the meeting’s over. What could have been a productive session turns into lost opportunities.
We understand: You can’t do everything at once. But with an AI notetaker to keep track of the details, you can get close, whether you’re joining an all-in, delivering a sales pitch, or attending a lecture.
Here’s how to use AI to take meeting notes, with insights about choosing the right AI meeting assistant to enhance productivity and teamwork.
How do AI notetakers work?
AI notetakers use natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to transcribe spoken words into text while understanding the context, identifying speakers, and extracting key details. The notetaker then creates organized summaries that highlight key points and action items.
But automated transcription is about more than notes. The best AI note-taking apps function like virtual meeting assistants, automatically sharing updates to Slack or email, creating checklists with next steps, and integrating with other workflow tools — all to save time and make your job easier.
5 benefits of using AI note-taking software
Color-coded action items and shorthand are great note-taking methods. But even the most detail-oriented notetakers can benefit from a little tech-powered help.
Here are five ways that AI note-taking apps take productivity to the next level:
- Use time wisely
It can take hours to manually transcribe, edit, format, and send meeting notes to coworkers and peers. No matter who you are or what you do, there are better ways to spend your time.
Let AI meeting assistants automate transcription and meeting summaries, freeing up time and energy that you can spend on valuable work. Focusing on strategic action items tasks rather than administrative busy work improves your overall efficiency and effectiveness.
- Improve organization
Everyone has their own approach to taking notes. And while there’s no right way to do so, teams benefit from the consistency and standardization of a template.
AI notetakers automatically structure meeting content into clear, coherent formats that always look the same, avoiding confusion. They can also categorize information by topic, speaker, and action items, making notes easy to navigate and reference long after everyone signs off of Zoom.
- Take accurate notes
Whether you’re interviewing job candidates or doing research and discovery for a new client, it’s hard to write fast enough and summarize all important details by hand. But reliable and precise meeting notes are essential for informed decisions and recordkeeping — especially when the stakes are high.
AI-powered tools with advanced language processing capabilities never miss a beat. They deliver accurate transcriptions of recordings while including context and distinguishing between different speakers, generating summaries that minimize error and maximize action.
- Emphasize knowledge management
Whether you’re taking a course or participating in work meetings, knowledge is your biggest asset. It gives you a competitive edge in decision-making, strategic planning, and project management — because the more you know, the more you can do.
AI note-taking apps systematically transcribe and organize valuable information that can support everything from personal note-taking to data analysis. Many systems also have automated integrations with knowledge management systems, enhancing your ability to safeguard insights and keep know-how accessible.
- Align every team member
Sometimes, you need a quick post-meeting recap. Other times, you miss a huddle entirely. But AI-powered notetakers generate summaries that distill lengthy meetings into easily digestible overviews to get you up to speed. The same applies to the people you work with who can’t always attend but need to know what’s happening.
4 game-changing ways to use an AI notetaker
Whether you use an AI notetaker for in-person meetings, Zoom calls, or recorded meet-ups, Otter’s AI-generated meeting notes can transform your productivity. Here’s how:
- Condense transcripts into concise summaries
Nobody has time on their calendars to sort through hours-long meeting recordings — or even scan through a transcript to find a minor detail. Skimming and skipping means missing valuable information.
Whether you’re a busy student or professional, Otter’s AI technology can generate 30-second reviews of any get-together. Keeping notes as concise as possible helps you save time, understand core content, and move on to the next action item on your to-do list.
- Automate action items
Accurate meeting records are just the tip of the productivity iceberg. Automating follow-up actions is the real game-changer.
Otter generates task lists and reminders based on your notes, automatically assigning and tracking action items. This automation reduces repetitive and time-consuming manual work to reduce overhead and quickly bring attention to important points.
- Share your notes
When everyone’s on the same page, teamwork flows like a river. Otter facilitates seamless sharing of meeting notes and summaries, improving collaboration across the board. Plus, team members can highlight, comment, and tag colleageus directly within the notes.
- Skip meetings entirely
Sometimes we’re double booked with meetings or running late. That’s when an AI-powered notetaker comes in handy. Connect Otter to your calendar and turn the auto-join settings on so Otter automatically joins your Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet meetings — even if you don’t! .
What to look for when choosing the best AI notetaker
The best AI tools do more than generate transcripts and send out meeting notes. Here’s what to look for when choosing the perfect meeting copilot:
Integration capabilities
Great tools don’t operate in a vacuum. Choose an app that integrates seamlessly with the tools and platforms you already use, like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Slack. Integration compatibility ensures that meeting notes and summaries are in the right place, enhancing efficiency and limiting the hassle of manually transferring (and potentially misplacing) data between programs.
Strict privacy protocols
Whether you’re strategizing a new product or speaking with a team member, your conversations might contain sensitive or confidential information. The best AI notetaking apps take security measures seriously — like Otter's data encryption, airtight permissions, and two-factor authentication.
Customization
If you’re taking meeting notes for work, keep in mind that everyone on your team has unique needs. Look for a tool with flexible, customizable team plans for individual preferences and uses. AI notetakers with adjustable template and transcription settings, editable summary formats, and tagging functions help configure the tool to individual workflows.
User-friendly interfaces
AI tools should make your life easier. Seek out AI notetakers with intuitive interfaces and small learning curves that let you focus on tasks rather than overcoming technical difficulties. Before committing to a paid plan, request a demo or free plan to explore the AI tool’s features, integrations, and overall usability.
Elevate your note-taking game with Otter
Say goodbye to manual notetaking. Use AI for transcriptions, summaries, and action items — and then some. Otter’s AI assistant does it all so you can focus on adding value to the conversation instead of scrambling to take notes.
Schedule a demo and start meeting.
