— The category splits in two
Record, transcribe, and summarise the meeting, then let you search your history with AI. Most leading tools live here — Otter, Fireflies, Fathom, Granola.
Best when you want hands-off notes and a searchable archive.
Help you during the call — surfacing what you could say or ask next, grounded in your own context. Easen is built here, and covers the notetaker job too: one-click Quick Capture transcribes, summarizes, and remembers any unplanned conversation with zero setup.
Best when you need help responding live — and for interviews.
They overlap — most notetakers now have cross-meeting AI memory, and Easen captures notes and summaries. But the question that sorts them is simple: do you mainly want a record of what was said, or help saying — and asking — the right things?
— Compare head to head
What is the best AI meeting assistant in 2026?
It depends what you need. If you want hands-off notes and a searchable archive, mature notetakers like Otter, Fireflies, Fathom, and Granola are all strong. If you want real-time help responding during the call — live answer suggestions while you speak — plus interview prep, Easen is built for that. Many people use a notetaker and a real-time copilot for different jobs.
What's the difference between a notetaker and a real-time copilot?
A notetaker records, transcribes, and summarises your meeting, and usually lets you search past meetings with AI. A real-time copilot works during the call — surfacing what you could say or ask next, grounded in your own context. Easen is a real-time copilot that also does notes and memory; most others are notetakers first.
Do AI meeting assistants join the call as a bot?
Some do, some don't. Otter and Fireflies typically send a notetaker bot into the call. Fathom offers a bot-free option, and Granola and Easen run privately with no bot in the participant list.
Which AI meeting assistant is best for interviews?
Most meeting notetakers don't have an interview mode. Easen includes Interview Mode — it tailors suggestions to a specific company and role, formats answers in STAR, and scores your performance afterward.
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