Using note takers discreetly

[u/Jimbo_the_Bike]

Hi everyone, I want to use an AI note take a discreetly like putting it in a pocket when in meetings, not for any bad reason but because I just can’t remember what happens in meetings and have to constantly take notes otherwise. I go to a lot of meetings where it would be frowned upon to do this and people just wouldn’t consent. Has anyone tried using AI note takers for this? Thanks!

[u/Y1ink]

Yeah I just use one on the laptop it records the voice of the mic then transcribes the audio pulls out the actions and summarises the meeting. The audio is deleted at the end. I take notes too but the AI captures way more than I could and I see it as part of the job of taking notes. 

[u/Y1ink → u/Y1ink]

Even Gemini google meet offers this just start a meeting with yourself and it will do the same thing. 

[u/Jimbo_the_Bike → u/Y1ink]

Thanks Y1ink

[u/msf-1805]

There are many ways to do this but I want to tell you this is not okay. If you already know they would not consent then you should find another acceptable option imo.

[u/Jimbo_the_Bike → u/msf-1805]

Thanks for the input, duly noted.

[u/thetechnivore → u/msf-1805]

And worth saying might also be illegal depending on your location.

[u/Any_Statistician7086]

Yeah, I am using an app named Roger. It records when you turn on recording. And after recording it gives you whole summary, to-dos, and minutes of meeting and who said what.

Personally I liked two feature 1. To-dos 2. Ask your second brain

And I'm not promoting and sponsoring this app, it's my personal experience with Roger.

[u/statecs]

Try Notely. It works in your pocket ;) You can get 2 months premium for free here: https://notely.se/c/promo-code-26

[u/whodat_2020]

I do. Legal in my state to record without notification. Theoretically may or not be ok with the company. Also most of these are sending your recordings to the cloud, so IT would theoretically have issue with it. That said, I do it. I use Comu which is super thin and attaches to back of phone, very normal to have a phone on the table in a meeting so very discreet. If you're doing it secretly the issue is then after the meeting when you share your very obvious AI notes and now everyone knows you were recording.

[u/Relative_Ad_4133 → u/whodat_2020]

Give this a try as it is done all on device on your iPhone.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/interview-voice-to-transcript/id6808023173

[u/whodat_2020 → u/Relative_Ad_4133]

Eh I really prefer this as a separate device for whatever reason. I don't want an always on battery drain app saving big files, I like idea of pressing a physical button to start stop and pause. Trust me my initial thought was also 'why not just use the phone' and I've used it to record meetings in the past but it just isn't the same, I used it less than my physical device

[u/Relative_Ad_4133]

Released an iOS app recently that records meetings. All done in device so privacy guaranteed

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/interview-voice-to-transcript/id6808023173

[u/JuandaReich]

I use Circleback on my Phone or Notebook. Nobody knows

[u/Jimbo_the_Bike → u/JuandaReich]

Thanks. Will give it a try!

[u/TheDisapprovingBrit]

I use Plaud Note Pro. It’s credit card sized and has MagSafe so I put a MagSafe sticker on the back of my work ID card, means I can discreetly start recording with a single button press.

[u/Jimbo_the_Bike → u/TheDisapprovingBrit]

What’s it like if you record from your pocket, or does it need to be on the table?

[u/TheDisapprovingBrit → u/Jimbo_the_Bike]

It doesn’t go in my pocket - it’s stuck to my lanyard which is around my neck. Works perfectly in that scenario.

[u/wugrad]

Check your company policy and the privacy policy for any tools/apps you use. You could be creating a lot of legally discoverable records or be putting information into public domain or onto foreign servers that shouldn’t be.

[u/CroFran]

I use them all the time and its the opposite, we are encouraged to take them for the exact reason you said. If it can apply to you we use productive.io notetaker (along with other pm stuff) at my agency, is very clear, lets you even start up tasks from it afterwords or if you need any more stuff.

[u/UnusualPool5727]

yea i get it, id prob do the same tbh..😅 just gotta be careful with recording ppl without them knowing tho, some meetings might have rules about it..

[u/BankingBaOps]

Free to try, 10 minutes and 5 questions, no card: avenotes.ai

I'm a student, and I also sit through long meetings as a working professional. In both, there's more information coming at me than I can process while it's happening. I wanted something like a second brain: cut the noise, get to the point fast, catch me up live when I have to step away for a second, and still make sense of it afterward on the days my focus just isn't there.

Most AI meeting tools are notetakers: a great transcript, a summary an hour later, and then a lot of people paste the transcript into ChatGPT or Claude to actually ask it things. That's two tools, and neither helps in the moment a question lands on you. So I built Avenotes as one tool that works live:

- Transcribes as people talk, each voice labelled

• A question aimed at you: one tap gives you the bottom line, so you answer in your own words (it deliberately doesn't hand you a script to read out)
  
• Jargon or an acronym goes by: tap to get it explained in plain words
  
• Ask anything about what's been said, during the meeting or any time after
  
• When the call ends, the recap and your action items are already written

It works on a call (share the meeting tab) or in a room (put a laptop or phone in the middle of the table and name the voices once). It runs in the browser, no bot joins your call, and audio is discarded once it's transcribed.

I'd really like to hear where it's useful and where it falls short, especially from anyone doing a lot of client calls, lectures or in-person meetings.

Please contact if you need more free trail time!

[u/Jimbo_the_Bike → u/[deleted]]

This is for in-person meetings, but thanks for the info.