Student Guide to AI Tools for Note-Taking

AI tools for note-taking have become essential resources for students navigating increasingly complex academic environments.

As lecture content grows denser and course loads expand, relying on handwritten notes or basic typing often proves inefficient. In response, modern students are turning to intelligent digital tools that offer real-time transcription, content organisation, and seamless integration with broader study systems.

This guide explores a curated selection of the most reliable and effective AI tools for note-taking currently available.

Whether attending university in person or from your student accommodation, these platforms offer students an opportunity to optimise study habits and maintain academic performance with greater consistency.

The Value of AI-Driven Note-Taking

Adopting AI tools for note-taking is more than a matter of convenience. These platforms offer measurable benefits, including:

• Automatic transcription of lectures and meetings, allowing students to focus on listening and comprehension rather than writing
• Enhanced accessibility for students with different learning needs or language proficiencies
• Organised, searchable records that streamline revision and reduce information loss
• Integration with task managers, calendars, and collaboration platforms

In the context of higher education, these advantages translate into better information retention, reduced cognitive load, and more effective time management.

Otter.ai: Accurate Live Transcription for Lectures

Otter.ai continues to set the standard for real-time transcription. Designed to convert spoken words into text with notable precision, it is especially valuable in academic environments where capturing every detail is critical.

The tool creates searchable transcripts, automatically identifies speakers, and offers summarisation capabilities for faster review. Students can upload lecture slides, annotate notes, and sync Otter.ai with popular platforms such as Zoom and Google Calendar.

While a free plan provides 300 transcription minutes per month, advanced features are available in premium tiers. This tool is particularly useful for capturing fast-paced lectures and reviewing complex discussions after class.

Notion AI: Structuring Knowledge Effectively

Notion AI enhances the traditional Notion workspace with automated content generation, summarisation, and formatting tools. Although it does not support audio transcription, it excels at transforming written inputs into structured, actionable study material.

Students can use Notion AI to generate outlines, synthesise lecture notes, and maintain integrated to-do lists. It also connects with calendars and databases, supporting broader academic workflows.

For students who manage large volumes of written material and require an efficient way to organise it, Notion AI offers a centralised and flexible solution.

Fireflies.ai: Transcription and Collaboration for Online Classes

Fireflies is tailored for recording and transcribing virtual classes conducted through platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet. Once a session concludes, the tool produces detailed, timestamped transcripts, enabling students to highlight key information and revisit important moments.

Additional features include keyword search, speaker identification, and collaboration tools for group study sessions. Fireflies is particularly suitable for students who regularly participate in online discussions and need accurate records for later review.

The free version supports limited functionality, while the paid plan unlocks team-based features and expanded storage.

Tactiq: Real-Time Highlights During Online Meetings

Tactiq is built specifically for meetings  and provides live transcription capabilities. What sets it apart is its ability to allow users to highlight and annotate key points during the session itself.

Notes are saved directly to Google Drive and can be exported to tools like Notion and Slack. This is beneficial for students who attend frequent virtual classes and prefer capturing key moments while the conversation is still ongoing.

Scribewave: A Multilingual Option for Diverse Learning Environments

Scribewave supports transcription in over 90 languages, making it an excellent choice for international students or courses that involve multilingual instruction.

It converts audio into clearly formatted text with speaker labels, punctuation, and paragraph breaks. Although it does not offer real-time transcription or deep integrations with productivity platforms, it remains a strong option for post-lecture review, especially for students working in diverse linguistic contexts.

The tool offers both free and paid plans, with the latter offering faster processing and higher transcription limits.

Fathom: Summarising Sessions Automatically

Fathom is designed to record, transcribe, and summarise  meetings with minimal effort from the user. After each session, it delivers a structured summary, complete with timestamps and key themes.

This format supports quick content review and targeted revision, making it especially useful for group projects, virtual seminars, or remote learning environments. It’s ease of use and cost-effectiveness (it is free for individual users) make it accessible to most students.

Supernormal: Fast Summarisation with Integrated Delivery

Supernormal offers automated meeting note generation for video calls. After a session, it produces a clean, structured summary and sends it directly to the user’s inbox.

Its simplicity and efficiency make it a practical solution for students who want consistent records without manual effort. It works with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

Though less customisable than some alternatives, Supernormal is well-suited to students seeking straightforward, reliable performance.

Evernote with Audio Memos and AI Enhancements

Evernote has introduced AI featuresthat support summarisation and keyword extraction. Although it does not match the capabilities of dedicated transcription tools, it remains a valuable platform for managing mixed-format notes, including audio memos and handwritten content.

For students who prefer a flexible, hybrid note-taking workflow, Evernote serves as a reliable base, particularly when enhanced with AI tools.

AI tools for note taking play an increasingly central role in supporting student productivity and academic performance. These platforms are not interchangeable; their usefulness depends on the context in which they are applied. Some are built for live transcription, others for content organisation, and still others for collaborative environments.

Choosing the most suitable option requires an understanding of individual study habits, course structure, and technological preferences.

Students living in shared environments or balancing part-time work may particularly benefit from tools that streamline note-taking and reduce daily workload.

Adopting the right tool can make a measurable difference in clarity, recall, and efficiency.