Real-time vs after-the-meeting AI notes — which do I need?
Choose real-time AI notes if your problem is staying on top of the conversation while it's happening — being able to answer when you're called on or catch up after stepping away. Choose after-the-meeting AI notes if your problem is remembering decisions and sharing recaps afterward. They solve different problems, and only real-time notes (like Canary's live rolling summary) can help you while you're still in the meeting. Many people benefit from both.
Last updated May 24, 2026
The choice comes down to when you need the notes. If you need them during the call, real-time wins. If you need them afterward, post-meeting notes are fine. They’re not really competitors — they solve different problems.
After-the-meeting AI notes
These are what most tools (Otter, Fireflies, Fathom, Granola) produce: a transcript, summary, and action items delivered once you hang up. Reach for these when your pain is:
- Forgetting what was decided.
- Sharing a recap with people who weren’t there.
- Pulling action items into your tracker.
Real-time AI notes
These update during the meeting via a live rolling summary. Reach for these when your pain is:
- Being put on the spot after your attention drifted.
- Catching up after stepping away without asking for a recap.
- Following a fast, dense, or multi-thread discussion in the moment.
Canary is built around this side: it shows a multi-resolution summary — now, last 2 min, last 5 min, full call — so the context is always one glance away. The deeper distinction is covered in post-meeting vs in-meeting AI notes.
So which?
If you only ever needed a recap, an after-the-meeting tool is enough. If the meeting itself is where you struggle, you need real-time — and that’s the gap most tools leave open. See how Canary compares to Granola and Otter.
Frequently asked questions
Can one tool do both?
Some can. Canary focuses on the real-time side with a live multi-resolution summary, but it's keeping a record of the whole call too, so you still have a recap when it ends. Most other tools only do the after-the-meeting side.
Aren't after-the-meeting notes good enough?
They're great for recall and follow-up, but useless in the moment your name is called, because the summary doesn't exist until the meeting is over.