Does Otter show a summary during the meeting?
No — Otter shows a live transcript while a meeting is happening, but its actual summary is generated after the call ends, not during it. So if what you want is a continuously updating summary you can glance at mid-meeting, Otter's live view gives you a running transcript rather than a condensed summary. A real-time summarizer like Canary fills that gap by showing a live, multi-resolution rolling summary while the meeting is still going.
Last updated May 24, 2026
It depends on what you mean by “summary.” Otter does show something live during a meeting — but it’s a transcript, not a summary.
What Otter does live
During a call, Otter displays a live transcript: the words scrolling by as people speak, plus an assistant you can ask questions of. That’s genuinely real-time. What it does not show live is its condensed summary — the recap with key points and action items is generated after the meeting ends.
Why the distinction matters
A live transcript is the full text, so in the moment you’re put on the spot, you still have to scan and read it — which is slow. A live rolling summary continuously condenses the conversation, so you grasp what was just said in a glance instead of reading paragraphs. That gap between “live transcript” and “live summary” is the core of post-meeting vs in-meeting AI notes.
What shows a live summary
Canary is built for exactly this: it captures the call’s system audio (no bot) and shows a live, multi-resolution summary — now, last 2 min, last 5 min, full call — updating as people talk. So when you need to know what you missed during the meeting, the answer is already condensed and waiting. See the full head-to-head in Canary vs Otter, or how Canary handles a live summary during a Zoom call.
Frequently asked questions
What does Otter show live during a meeting?
Otter shows a live, scrolling transcript of what's being said, and its assistant can answer questions on request. The condensed meeting summary, however, is produced after the meeting ends.
What's the difference between a live transcript and a live summary?
A live transcript is the full word-for-word text, which still takes time to read and scan. A live summary continuously condenses that text so you can grasp what was just said at a glance — which is what helps in the moment your name is called.
Which tool shows a live summary during the meeting?
Canary shows a live, multi-resolution summary (now, last 2 minutes, last 5 minutes, and full call) during the meeting, updating continuously as people talk.