How to Use AI to Take Meeting Notes (Without the Awkward Bot)

The pitch for AI meeting notes is straightforward: stop splitting your attention between listening and writing, and let AI capture what was said. The reality is more nuanced. There are multiple approaches to AI note-taking, each with real trade-offs around privacy, convenience, and what kinds of meetings they actually work for.

This guide covers the three main ways to use AI for meeting notes, when each one makes sense, and what to watch out for.

Approach 1: Bot-Based Recording (Otter, Fireflies)

Tools like Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai work by connecting to your calendar and sending an AI bot into your Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams calls. The bot joins as a participant, records the meeting, and produces a transcript with speaker labels and an AI summary afterward.

When this works well:

• All your meetings are scheduled virtual calls on supported platforms.
• Your organization is comfortable with a recording bot joining calls.
• You want fully automated recording — set it up once and forget about it.
• You need CRM integration (Fireflies pushes notes to Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.).

When it doesn't:

• Client-facing calls where a bot named "Fred" joining uninvited creates tension.
• Organizations that block third-party bots from joining meetings.
• In-person meetings, phone calls, or any conversation that doesn't happen on Zoom/Meet/Teams.
• Situations where you need discretion about recording.

Approach 2: Desktop Local Recording (Fathom, Granola)

A newer category of tools records meetings directly on your computer without sending a bot. Fathom captures screen and audio during Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams calls. Granola takes a hybrid approach — transcribing in the background while you type your own notes, then merging them.

When this works well:

• You want meeting recording without the bot — other participants don't see a recording indicator.
• You're always at your computer during meetings.
• You want video recording, not just audio (Fathom captures the screen).
• Fathom's free tier is genuinely generous for individual use.

When it doesn't:

• You're joining a call from your phone or tablet.
• The meeting is in person — desktop recorders only capture what's on your screen.
• You need to record phone calls, which these tools can't do.

Approach 3: All-in-One Recording (Wave)

Wave is notable because it spans all three approaches above. It offers a meeting bot for Zoom, Meet, and Teams (Approach 1). It has a desktop app on Mac and Windows that captures system audio (Approach 2). And it has a mobile app that records from your phone's microphone for in-person conversations. On top of that, Wave includes a built-in VoIP dialer for recording phone calls.

When this works well:

• Your conversations happen in different places — not just Zoom.
• You want one tool for virtual meetings, in-person meetings, phone calls, and lectures — with a dedicated recording method for each.
• You want flexibility — use the bot when transparency is expected, desktop or mobile recording when discretion matters.
• You want to record something spontaneous without scheduling anything in advance.

When it doesn't:

• You need video recording (Wave is audio-only).
• You need native CRM integrations (Wave offers an API but not built-in Salesforce/HubSpot connectors).
• You want fully automated recording that starts without you opening an app (though the meeting bot can be calendar-triggered).

Getting Better Results from Any AI Note-Taking Tool

Regardless of which approach you use, a few practices make a real difference in the quality of your transcripts and summaries:

• State names at the beginning of the meeting. "This is Sarah, and I'm here with Mike and Priya." This helps speaker identification models learn each voice faster.
• Minimize cross-talk. When two people speak simultaneously, every transcription tool struggles. Taking turns isn't just polite — it produces better notes.
• Repeat key decisions and action items clearly. "So we're agreeing to ship by March 15, and James owns the API integration." AI summaries are more likely to catch items that are stated explicitly.
• Review the summary within an hour. Context fades fast. A quick review while the meeting is fresh lets you catch any errors and add context the AI missed.

A Note on Consent

Recording laws vary by jurisdiction. In many US states, you only need one party's consent (your own) to record a conversation. In eleven states, you need everyone's consent. Many countries have their own rules. Regardless of the legal requirements in your area, telling people you're recording is generally the right thing to do — and it avoids problems down the road.

Bot-based tools handle this implicitly — the bot's presence is the notification. Desktop and phone-based tools put the responsibility on you to inform participants when appropriate.

Which Approach Is Right for You?

Most people don't need to agonize over this. Ask yourself one question: where do your most important conversations happen?

• Exclusively on Zoom/Meet/Teams, at a computer? A desktop tool like Fathom gets you started for free.
• Scheduled video calls with CRM needs? Fireflies or Otter with calendar integration.
• A mix of in-person, phone, and video? Wave covers all three with dedicated recording methods for each — bot, desktop, VoIP dialer, and mobile.