Axios chief tech correspondent Ina Fried debuts a new feature called "Prompt" today, demonstrating how to leverage the proliferation of AI tools. In my grandfather's words, "one tush can't be at two weddings, " but a new generation of AI tools, such as those I recently tested from Otter. ai, is on the verge of rendering that adage irrelevant. Here's what's happening: While mostly recognized for its AI-driven voice transcription software, Otter now offers an AI bot called OtterPilot that can participate in online meetings, both with and without your presence, by transcribing and summarizing them in real-time. Another bot called Otter Chat can answer questions based on the discussions that took place in the meeting. Here's how it works: Once you link your Otter. ai account to your Microsoft or Google calendar, the OtterPilot bot can automatically join an online meeting on platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, and begin recording and transcribing it. Later, during my interview with Slack CEO Lidiane Jones over Google Meet, OtterPilot joined as a separate participant named "Ina's OtterPilot. " The positives: Otter did an impressive job not only of identifying speakers and transcribing accurately but also of summarizing the meetings. It's worth mentioning that OtterPilot saves the visual content presented during the meeting, and Otter Chat can help generate post-meeting content like follow-up emails or blog posts.

The drawbacks: While the transcriptions are good, they are not flawless. However, my main concerns lie not in the product's limitations, but rather in the ethical issues that Otter's current and future offerings may pose. What's on the horizon: Otter aims to have its bots actively engage in conversations, instead of solely recording and taking notes. This brings forth many questions!Additional information: Otter. ai offers subscription plans ranging from a free account with limited features to various paid tiers that offer more transcription hours and enhanced AI capabilities. In conclusion: Despite the thought-provoking questions raised by Otter's new services about a future filled with bots, there's little doubt that they can streamline my job and assist anyone overwhelmed by an excess of meetings. Share on Facebook (opens in a new window).