Physical AI Notetakers Hit Market as In-Person Alternative to Meeting Bots

The AI meeting transcription market is fragmenting. While software tools like Fireflies.ai and Otter.ai handle virtual meetings, a new category of physical devices targets in-person scenarios where bot-based tools fall short.

What's Shipping

Devices from Plaud, Mobvoi, and Viaim are now available at $159-200, offering wearable or pocket-sized form factors with AI transcription, summaries, and action-item extraction. Key specs:

• Mobvoi TicNote: $159, 25-hour recording, 120+ languages
• Comulytic Note Pro: $159, unlimited basic transcription, 45-hour battery
• Viaim RecDot earbuds: $200, 78-language real-time transcription
• Plaud Note Pro: $179, credit-card sized, four mics, 3-5 meter range

All claim 95-98% transcription accuracy in optimal conditions. Most offer one-time purchase pricing, avoiding the subscription models common in software alternatives. Optional AI features run $15/month for advanced capabilities.

The Trade-offs

Accuracy claims are self-reported and degrade with background noise or non-native speakers—the same challenges software tools face. The differentiation isn't transcription quality, which vendors agree is "largely solved" for standard meeting conditions. It's deployment model: hardware sidesteps IT approval for bot access to virtual meetings, particularly relevant for regulated industries.

For healthcare providers evaluating HIPAA-compliant options, physical devices with on-device processing offer theoretical privacy advantages over cloud-based bots. Implementation reality varies by vendor.

What This Means in Practice

Enterprise adoption will depend on three factors:

1. Audio quality in real environments: Vendor claims assume clear audio. Crosstalk and room acoustics matter more than spec sheets suggest.
2. Integration friction: These devices require separate apps and workflows, unlike native Teams/Zoom features or existing bot deployments.
3. Procurement justification: IT leaders need to explain why hardware solves what Microsoft Copilot or existing tools don't.

The market is testing whether in-person meeting transcription is a genuine gap or a feature that enterprises will absorb into existing platforms. History suggests consolidation, but the immediate question is whether these devices ship enough to establish the category before that happens.

Worth noting: No major enterprise deployments reported yet. We'll see.