Otter.ai vs Zoom AI for meeting automation

Otter.ai is an AI note-taking tool that transcribes audio from meetings and recordings. It works during live meetings through integrations with platforms like Zoom and Teams, or via direct audio uploads. The system identifies speakers, captures screen content, generates automatic summaries, and lets users highlight important points. Transcripts are searchable and shareable, with the service functioning both for virtual meetings and in-person conversations through mobile apps.

The platform offers a tiered pricing structure starting with a free plan (600 minutes/month) and paid options for increased transcription time and features. Premium ($10/month annually) provides 6,000 minutes and advanced features, while Business ($20/user/month) adds team sharing capabilities. The system integrates with several platforms, though transcription accuracy can vary with complex audio, and some users note that transcripts can be verbose and difficult to navigate.

Zoom AI is an integrated feature within the Zoom platform for paid subscribers. It automatically generates meeting summaries and next-action items after calls, lets participants ask questions during meetings to catch up on missed content, and assists with composing emails and documents related to meetings. The tool operates entirely within Zoom's ecosystem, requiring no additional setup for existing users.

The feature works only for virtual Zoom meetings and cannot capture in-person conversations. While it includes live transcription support for over 30 languages, its integrations are limited to Zoom's own ecosystem with no direct syncing to external platforms like HubSpot or Notion. Zoom AI is included at no additional cost for paid Zoom subscribers but isn't available to users on the free Basic plan beyond limited trial uses.

Comparing Otter.ai and Zoom AI

Otter.ai

• Otter offers multi-platform transcription with automated summaries, but lacks depth in its integrations to help users take meaningful action on meeting content. Its interface provides real-time note-taking across various meeting platforms, giving users flexibility across different communication tools.

• While Otter captures comprehensive meeting data and generates AI summaries, the tool often produces verbose transcripts that require additional processing to extract actionable insights. The limited structure in these transcripts creates more work for users trying to identify and implement key meeting decisions.

Zoom AI

• Zoom AI delivers built-in meeting intelligence directly within the Zoom platform, but falls short on integrations that would help users implement meeting outcomes in their workflow systems. Its seamless operation within existing Zoom infrastructure makes it frictionless for current Zoom customers.

• The tool's platform limitation to only Zoom meetings significantly restricts its utility for organizations using multiple communication tools. Its meeting summaries and action items remain largely trapped within the Zoom ecosystem, creating obstacles for users who need to connect meeting outcomes to other productivity systems.

Otter.ai works best for users who need flexibility across different meeting platforms and in-person conversations. Teams that use a mix of communication tools (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet) or frequently conduct in-person meetings will benefit from Otter's platform-agnostic approach. Organizations with specific compliance requirements may also prefer Otter's local recording capabilities.

Zoom AI suits organizations already standardized on Zoom for all their virtual communication. It offers the path of least resistance for Zoom-centric teams, with no additional cost for paid Zoom subscribers. The tool works particularly well for multilingual teams due to its superior language support, though its utility diminishes significantly for any workflow that extends beyond the Zoom ecosystem.

Otter.ai vs Zoom AI: What do users say?

Otter.ai is an AI note-taking tool that provides live transcription during meetings and for audio/video uploads, generating automatic summaries and highlights while identifying speakers. Users praise its ease of use, time-saving capabilities, and generous free tier (600 minutes/month). The tool integrates with platforms like Zoom and Teams, with mobile apps for iOS and Android. However, users report that transcripts can be verbose and lack structure, with accuracy suffering for complex audio. Some complain about unwanted calendar invites and the 40-minute limitation on free Zoom meetings. Pricing ranges from free to premium ($10/month) and business ($20/user/month) plans.

Zoom AI, built directly into Zoom's platform, automatically generates meeting summaries and next-action items after calls. Users appreciate its seamless integration within the Zoom environment and instant generation of summaries and action items. The tool allows participants to ask questions during meetings and helps with composing emails and creating documents. It's included at no extra cost for paid Zoom subscribers but isn't available on the free plan beyond limited trials. Limitations include its exclusivity to the Zoom platform, basic integration with Zoom Chat, and occasional difficulties sharing AI notes outside of Zoom.

For more information, readers can check out Zoom AI Companion Review: My Honest Feedback, Reddit discussion on Zoom AI, Otter AI Review from CNET, Reddit discussion on Otter.ai for meeting minutes, and Trustpilot reviews of Otter.ai.

FAQs

• Would Otter.ai work for in-person meetings? What about Zoom AI? Yes, Otter.ai can transcribe live in-person conversations via its app. Zoom AI cannot be used for in-person meetings as it only works for virtual Zoom calls and cannot independently capture in-person audio.

• What about meeting bots? Does either of these tools require a meeting bot? Otter.ai integrates with Zoom, Teams, etc., via an assistant that can join meetings in real time.

• What do users say about the quality of transcriptions? For Otter.ai, users note that accuracy can suffer with complex audio, with some reviews mentioning mistakes in transcription or speaker identification. Transcripts can also be overly verbose and lack structure.

Another alternative: Circleback

Circleback provides best-in-class AI-powered meeting notes and automations. We support over 100 languages and automatic participant identification in both in-person and online meetings.

• Automatically-identified and assigned action items

• AI-enabled search across all meetings

• Automations with 100+ app integrations

• Industry-leading security with SOC 2 Type II, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and HIPAA compliance

• Ability to capture both online and in-person meetings with desktop and mobile apps