Plaud Inc., the maker of artificial intelligence note-taking pins, has introduced the Plaud NotePin S, the latest in its family of wearable devices capable of recording audio and processing it using AI for meetings and everyday life.

In addition to the new pin, Plaud also announced Sunday a desktop application for capturing and summarizing online meetings without the need for an intrusive “meeting bot.”

Plaud develops and sells ultra-thin, ultra-light wearable devices that act as “memory capsules” to record what a user can hear and assist them in recalling conversations. The company touts its devices as useful for work and school, allowing people to record meetings, lectures and conversations where they may want to revisit details later.

“Capturing conversations in their natural form is the best way to empower people in real life,” said co-founder and Chief Executive Nathan Xu. “Our mission is to amplify human intelligence, and our latest innovations reinforce our commitment to this promise.”

The NotePin S upgrades the company’s current lineup of NotePin devices, clip-on AI recorders originally launched in August.

Like its predecessor, it’s designed to be worn naturally and easily, as a wristband, necklace, pin or clip. It’s also designed to remain unobtrusive. As an upgrade over the NotePin, the new S version includes a button that lets users flag a moment as important, notifying the onboard AI that the current conversation matters. That way, users can prompt the model to pay closer attention and tailor its insights accordingly.

Plaud is capable of transcription in 112 languages with speaker labels and customized vocabulary. Users can generate summaries of conversations and meetings using over 10,000 templates, mind maps and workflow integrations. These notes can be integrated easily with additional notes, images and other highlights using the company’s Plaud Intelligence service.

An unobtrusive desktop app for online meetings

In addition to the new notetaking device, the company launched Plaud Desktop, a bot-free way to capture online meetings without needing to bring in an external third-party service that joins the call.

Plaud Desktop detects when a Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or other online meeting is in session and lets users begin to securely record real-time audio with a single click.

Notetaking AI bots are slowly becoming a mainstay of online meetings. It’s increasingly rare to join a call without at least one bot entering from a service such as Otter.ai or Fireflies.ai, driven by their ability to automate tedious meeting notes. In some cases, employees have even been sending bots instead of attending meetings themselves, creating tension with real-time collaboration.

By now, most people have heard of Zoom fatigue, the draining sensation of having to join yet another online video meeting. The rise of note-taking bots is adding another layer, now being dubbed “bot fatigue.” Although some experts have decried the lack of transparency, a botless approach can reduce the vigilance that comes from seeing a recorder as a participant, something that can make meeting members less open and more transactional.

The other side of the coin is concern over security leaks and compliance issues caused by unauthorized note-taking services in sensitive meetings. The company stressed that its services and devices remain compliant with security practices and standards, including ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

The Plaud NotePin S is now available for $179, and the desktop app is available as part of the company’s service ecosystem.

“What sets Plaud apart is our design to work in all scenarios: in-person, over the phone, or on screen. It’s how intelligence naturally flows,” said Xu.

Image: Plaud