Notion Introduces AI-Powered Transcription: Is This the End for Standalone AI Note-Taking Apps?

If you’ve ever tried to take notes in a fast-moving meeting, you know how hard it can be to keep up. That’s where AI-powered note-taking apps like Otter.ai and Granola have come in handy. But now, one of the most popular productivity platforms—Notion—is entering the game with its very own AI transcription tool. The big question is: will users still need other AI notetakers, or is Notion about to make them obsolete?

Notion’s New AI Transcription Tool Explained

On May 13, 2025, Notion announced its latest feature—an AI-powered transcription tool designed to improve how teams take and manage notes during meetings. You can now record conversations directly through Notion and have the AI automatically transcribe them in real time. And yes, it works seamlessly with your existing notes, projects, and templates.

This move puts Notion head-to-head with standalone tools like Granola, Otter.ai, and Fireflies.ai, which specialize solely in meeting transcription and AI note summarization. But what makes Notion’s transcription feature stand out? Let’s explore.

Why Notion’s Built-In Transcription Is a Game-Changer

Think about your current workflow. You might be using Zoom to hold meetings, Otter.ai to transcribe them, and Notion to store and organize the final notes. That’s at least three different tools! Notion is now saying: Why juggle so many apps when you can do it all in one place?

Here’s what Notion’s AI transcription brings to the table:

• Automatic Transcriptions: The AI listens during your meetings and transcribes conversations word-for-word.
• Speaker Identification: Just like Otter, it can figure out who’s talking so you don’t have to guess later.
• Summarized Notes: After the meeting, the AI generates a brief summary with key action points and decisions.
• Seamless Integration: Everything ends up in your Notion workspace—no copying, pasting, or exporting required.

This tight integration is what gives Notion an edge. Rather than storing your transcripts elsewhere, the AI notes are already part of your project pages, to-do lists, and knowledge base. It’s all connected.

Can Notion Replace Dedicated AI Notetaking Apps?

This is where things get interesting. Tools like Granola and Fireflies.ai have been gaining traction because they’re laser-focused on one thing: making sure you never miss a word in meetings. So, does Notion do it just as well?

According to early user feedback, the transcriptions are impressively accurate. However, some users note that the experience feels more “generalist” than platforms built solely around meetings. That said, the value comes in centralization. You’re not emailing transcripts around or saving them in 10 different folders. Everything stays within the ecosystem where you already manage your work.

For teams that are already deep into Notion’s productivity tools—like project management, wikis, and task trackers—this might be a no-brainer. If you’re already there, why not use the transcription tool too?

Who Is This Tool For?

Notion’s transcription tool is aimed at a wide range of users—but especially:

• Remote teams who have frequent video calls and need detailed meeting summaries.
• Project managers who want everything documented in one place.
• Students trying to capture lectures or group discussions.
• Writers and researchers who conduct interviews.

Basically, anyone who attends meetings, interviews, or group discussions can benefit from automatic transcriptions.

How It Actually Works in Practice

Let’s say you’re in a team meeting. You click “Start Recording” on Notion’s toolbar. As people talk, Notion’s AI begins transcribing in the background. The system identifies each speaker, highlights keywords, and creates a detailed log of the conversation.

Once the meeting wraps up, you get:

• A full transcription of the meeting, readable and editable in Notion
• A neat summary of what was discussed
• Taggable tasks and follow-up items linked to your Notion projects

And the best part? You can search the transcript for keywords later, so finding that “next step” or “deadline” is a breeze.

Will AI Take Over Note-Taking Completely?

Here’s some food for thought. With AI doing more and more of the heavy lifting, it’s easy to wonder: Do we even need to take notes anymore?

The answer is… kind of. While this technology is amazing, it still helps to review and customize your notes. AI can capture what was said, but it can’t always tell you what was important to you specifically. That’s where the human touch still matters.

How Much Does Notion’s Transcription Tool Cost?

The AI transcription tool is part of Notion’s AI Add-On, which is priced at $8 per month per user. If you’re already paying for Notion, it’s an affordable upgrade—especially when you consider it might replace a separate note-taking subscription.

A Closer Look: Notion vs. the Competition

If you’re deciding between sticking with Otter.ai, Fireflies, or Granola—or switching to Notion’s AI add-on—here’s what matters:

What Notion does better:

• All-in-one workspace for your notes, projects, and documents
• No switching apps—you’re already using it for work

What standalone tools may still do better:

• Advanced analytics for speaker time, sentiment scoring, etc.
• More integrations with Zoom, Google Meet, and CRMs
• Real-time collaboration on transcripts with team members

Final Thoughts: Should You Try It?

If you’re already using Notion in your personal or professional life, adding the new transcription feature makes a lot of sense. It’s convenient, fast, and well-integrated. No more bouncing between apps or copying notes into the right place.

But if you need high-level analytics or you’re working in an industry with specific transcription needs—like legal or medical—then you might want to stick with a specialized tool.

Still, for most users, this is a powerful new feature that removes unnecessary steps and makes work just a little bit easier. And who doesn’t want that?

Want to Try Notion’s Transcription Tool?

You can activate the AI transcription by enabling the Notion AI add-on in your settings. From there, all it takes is a click to start recording your next meeting and watch as the AI does the rest.

The future of note-taking is here, and it lives inside Notion.