AI-powered meeting recorder and summarizer that captures, transcribes, and generates actionable insights from conversations.
Aside
$19/moStarting price
0Popularity
About Aside
Aside is a desktop application that acts as an AI meeting copilot for macOS and Windows. It listens to meetings via the computer’s microphone or system audio, transcribing speech in real time using a local Whisper model with three speed/accuracy tiers. The tool streams AI-generated answers—powered by Claude models—into a floating panel beside the call, responding to detected questions without requiring the user to leave the meeting interface. It supports English and Spanish, and offers three answer models: Fast, Smart, and Pro. Aside captures and tags speaker lines as You or Them, ensuring context-aware responses. A Screen Assist feature allows users to capture and query on-screen content such as spreadsheets or documents mid-meeting. After each session, Aside generates an AI wrap-up including an overview, key questions, action items, and a draft follow-up email. The application operates entirely on-device, with audio never uploaded to the cloud, and only minimal data sent to generate answers.
Key features
- Real-time transcription with local Whisper model
- Floating panel for streaming AI answers
- Three answer models: Fast, Smart, Pro
- Screen Assist for querying on-screen content
- Speaker tagging (You/Them) for context
- AI wrap-ups with action items and email drafts
- Configurable hotkeys and answer refinement
- Custom vocabulary support
Use cases
- Sales calls requiring quick, accurate answers
- Client meetings with need for real-time clarification
- Lectures or interviews with follow-up documentation
Pros
- Local transcription with on-device Whisper model
- Floating panel for real-time answers without disrupting workflow
- Supports multiple meeting platforms (Zoom, Meet, Teams, Webex, phone bridges)
- Screen Assist for querying on-screen content
- AI-generated wrap-ups with action items and email drafts
Cons
- No free tier beyond 7-day trial
- Answer caps limit usage on paid plans
- Screen Assist requires additional data transmission
- Limited to English and Spanish for question detection
Frequently asked questions about Aside
What counts as an answer in Aside?
An answer is any AI response generated by Aside, including detected-question answers, on-demand Ask-anything replies, Screen Assist results, or refinements like Shorter, Deeper, or Simpler. On-device transcription does not count against the answer cap.
Which meeting apps does Aside work with?
Aside works with any meeting app your computer can hear, such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, or phone bridges. It listens via microphone or system audio without requiring browser extensions or bots to join calls.
Does Aside upload my audio to the cloud?
By default, Aside transcribes audio entirely on-device using a local Whisper model, and your audio is never uploaded. Cloud transcription is available as an optional setting for PCs that cannot keep up with local processing, but it is off by default and audio is transcribed and discarded without storage.
How does Aside handle privacy during meetings?
Aside keeps your meeting audio on your computer and does not record to the cloud or store conversations on its servers. Only the detected question, a short transcript excerpt, or screen capture—when used—are sent to generate answers, and these are not retained.
Can I customize Aside to recognize my specific terminology?
Yes, Aside allows users to feed it custom vocabulary such as résumés or notes to improve transcription accuracy for names, products, and acronyms. Answer style presets and configurable hotkeys are also available for personalization.
What happens if my PC cannot process transcription in real time?
If your PC lacks sufficient GPU acceleration, Aside may drop parts of the conversation. In this case, you can enable cloud transcription in settings, which is off by default. This feature transcribes audio on demand and discards it immediately without storage.
