Summary of AI Note-Taking Apps Evaluation
The lecturer tested six AI note-taking apps (Otter, Fathom, Fireflies, Nota, Rewatch, and Bubbles) during a Zoom call to determine which performs best for various note-taking needs. The experiment involved group and one-on-one Zoom calls, with criteria based on ease of use, sharability, and accuracy in capturing conversation details.
Key Points from the Comparison:
Respondents and Content
- AI note-taking apps were evaluated on how well they could transcribe a casual conversation.
- The lecturer uses AI note-taking during:
- Group Zoom calls with the Thriving Creator Society.
- One-on-one client meetings.
- Personal brainstorming sessions.
Evaluation Criteria
- Sharability with team members or clients.
- Transcription quality and summary capabilities.
- Ability to capture action items and generate useful analytics.
Test Methods
- An informal conversation was held to test each AI app.
- Random stories were added to see how the apps process irrelevant information.
- The conversation included fake events like digging out from "40,000 ft of snow" to test the AI's ability to handle hyperbolic comments.
App-specific Notes
Otter
- Provides a clear summary, action items, outline, and a complete transcript.
- Allows interaction via a chat bot to ask questions about the transcript contents.
Fireflies
- Offers a similar output to Otter but includes additional data like talk-time percentages and words per minute.
- The app uses labels or keywords for easy filtering.
Fathom
- Operates differently as it does not join calls but must be installed on a computer.
- Features a video scrubbing tool tied to the conversation text.
- Highlights and bookmarks can be created manually during live notes.
Nota (or NADA)
- Provides only the first three minutes of transcript without upgrading.
- More focused on user-directed templating to decide how information is captured and processed.
Rewatch
- Focuses on providing recaps and to-do lists.
- Includes a transcript but lacks interactive chat capabilities.
Bubbles
- Did not perform well in identifying action items even when they were explicitly mentioned during the call.
- Provides a basic summary and maintains a large video display with a timeline.
Lecturer's Preferences and Remarks
- Otter: Preferred for familiarity and functionality, offers constant updates.
- Fathom: Liked for in-the-moment bookmarking, suitable for group calls with frequent ideas and questions.
- Nota: Potential liked for its templating feature, but hindered by access limitations (credit card requirement for trials).
- Rewatch and Bubbles: Less impressive in features or interactivity.
Conclusion
The lecturer indicated a preference for Otter for its comprehensive functionality and Fireflies for its in-depth analytics. The evaluation emphasized the rapid advancement in AI note-taking technology and its impact on meeting productivity and data management.