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The 5 Best AI Tools to Maximize Your Online Meetings

From creating slides to transcribing live conversations, these are the best ways AI can help you get the most out of your video meetings.

 & Robert Anderson Contributor
 & Ruben Circelli Writer, Software
Our Experts
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Remote work is here to stay, which means video meetings are the norm for many companies. While a day full of video calls can be tedious, the good news is that artificial intelligence tools can help you better prepare for them, engage your audience, and identify clear action items. We've been covering AI since its modern inception, and we put these AI meeting features to the test in our reviews, collecting the best ones for maximizing your meetings below. Some can transcribe meetings in real time, others can help you create attractive presentations, and many seamlessly integrate with the most popular video conferencing services. Make sure to click through to our full reviews of the products below to see how their AI tools fit into the larger scope of their capabilities.

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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

  • Zoom AI Companion
    Credit: Zoom
    Best for Video Conferencing

    Zoom AI Companion

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Competitive price
      • Advanced Zoom AI Companion
      • Many integrations
      • End-to-end encryption
      • Easy to use
      • Poor spelling and grammar correction in Zoom Docs

    Why We Picked It

    Zoom's AI Companion alerts you if somebody says your name, answers questions about what's being discussed, and even constructs ongoing summaries of meetings. After a meeting, it can critique how you presented yourself and generate transcripts for you to read over. You don't have to use these features if you don't want to, but you do need at least a Pro subscription ($14.16 per user per month, billed annually) if you want more than limited, in-meeting access to AI functionality.

    Who It's For

    Anybody who often gets stuck in long meetings: Zoom's AI Companion shines for those times you're stuck in a long meeting. You can ask it questions and consult its ongoing summary if you lose track of the current conversation thread.

    Professionals: Since Zoom locks most of its AI features behind a paid tier, only professionals who spend a significant amount of time in Zoom meetings can likely justify the cost. It's probably not worth paying for if you use Zoom for the occasional personal call.

    Specs & Configurations

    24/7 Phone Support
    Audio Recordings
    Blur Backgrounds
    Calendar Integration
    Cloud Storage
    Free Version Offered
    In-App Messaging
    In-App Private Chat
    Multi-Language Support
    Share Desktop
    Share Mouse / Keyboard
    Social Media Integration
    Transcription
    Video Recordings
    Virtual Backgrounds
    Whiteboard Tools
  • Canva Magic Studio
    Credit: Canva
    Best for Graphic Design

    Canva Magic Studio

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Friendly, intuitive interface with helpful pop-ups
      • Multitude of robust yet uncomplicated AI tools
      • Reasonable pricing
      • Doesn't require a design background
      • Excellent free version
      • Somewhat constraining for professional designers
      • Potentially overwhelming number of features
      • Limited typography options

    Why We Picked It

    Canva is all about simplifying and streamlining the graphic design process, and its Magic Studio suite is its way of leveraging AI to better accomplish this goal. You can use Magic Write to generate text for a presentation, while Magic Media can transform prompts into images or videos. Photo editing tools like Magic Edit, Magic Expand, and Magic Grab can help you turn a rough image into something perfect for a promotional slide. Canva's free tier lets you use some AI features with limits, but for the full experience, you need to upgrade to Canva Pro, which costs $18 per month or $144 per year.

    Who It's For

    Aspiring graphic designers: Canva's accessible interface, coupled with its robust suite of AI features, makes it an exceptional platform for trying your hand at graphic design. It provides numerous assets and templates to support your creative work.

    Presenters: If presenting slideshows is a key component of your job, Canva's AI tools can help you enhance your decks with easy-to-make graphics. Keeping your audience's attention is half the battle, anyway.

    Specs & Configurations

    Android App
    API Available for Customers
    Can Add Audio
    Data-Driven Charts
    Desktop App
    Edits Raster Graphics
    Free Account Offered
    Free Version
    Guest Accounts
    iOS App
    Mobile Editing App
    Mobile Presenter App
    Pre-Built Templates
    Price Per Month $14.99 per Person per Month
    Pricing Model Subscription
    Real-Time Collaboration
    Touch Interface Support
    Web App
    Learn More Canva Review
  • Miro AI
    Credit: Miro
    Best for Whiteboards

    Miro AI

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Excellent collaboration and presentation tools
      • Rich feature set
      • Strong support for integrations with other apps and services
      • More tools means more complexity

    Why We Picked It

    Miro specializes in data diagramming, flowchart creation, and whiteboard collaboration. The Miro AI can summarize what's on your board, generate action items, and then convert that information into images, sticky notes, or even entire presentations. You can also ask it to rewrite any text for clarity or tone. Miro's AI features use a credit system, meaning each action you run has a cost, and its free tier gives you 10 credits per team per month. More expensive tiers give you more credits.

    Who It's For

    Frequent collaborators: Miro is all about collaboration, making it a great tool if you and your team frequently build upon each other's ideas during and outside of meetings. Moreover, its robust integration support means you don't have to change up your established workflows.

    Visual learners: If you struggle to articulate your ideas during meetings, Miro enables you to support your words with clear visuals, which are easy to share.

    Specs & Configurations

    Android App
    API Available for Customers
    Free Account Offered
    Guest Accounts
    iOS App
    Pre-Built Templates
    Price Per Month $10 per person
    Learn More Miro Review
  • Prezi AI
    Credit: Prezi
    Best for Presentations

    Prezi AI

    4.0 Excellent

    Pros & Cons

      • Creates engaging presentations
      • Suitable for non-artists
      • Ample selection of beautiful templates
      • Easy to use
      • Can be expensive
      • No chat function
      • Most plans support just two collaborators

    Why We Picked It

    Prezi helps you create visually intriguing meeting presentations using a free-form approach, allowing you to work through ideas on a canvas. But you don't need to start from scratch: Prezi AI can generate entire presentations from a prompt. Then, you can customize the look of its creation and edit the text in individual slides. You can use Prezi AI for free on an AI credit basis, but you can also sign up for Prezi's Plus plan ($19 per month, billed annually) to unlock unlimited usage. Through the Prezi desktop app, you can easily set up connections with Google Meet, Webex by Cisco, and Zoom Workplace for livestreaming and video conferencing.

    Who It's For

    Non-artists: If you need to give a presentation, but don't have strong creative skills, you can lean on Prezi's AI tools to create something visually compelling. The templates it provides are highly attractive.

    People who dislike traditional slideshows: Prezi's non-linear slideshows offer a fresh approach to presentations, and its AI tools make creating them accessible. The platform gives you the freedom to present your thoughts in a way that makes sense to you.

    Specs & Configurations

    Can Add Audio
    Desktop App
    Free Version
    Mobile Presenter App
    Real-Time Collaboration
    Web App
    Learn More Prezi Review
  • OtterPilot
    Credit: Otter
    Best for Live Transcription

    OtterPilot

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Generous free plan for transcribing live audio
      • Useful AI assistant for meetings
      • Capable mobile apps
      • Integrates easily with most video conferencing platforms
      • Strict limitations on uploading prerecorded audio or video
      • Can struggle with accents and punctuation

    Why We Picked It

    Otter excels at automatic transcription of live audio: Its AI assistant takes notes and transcribes in real time with minimal errors. Like a chatbot, it can also answer questions about what's going on if you or anyone else loses track or joins late. Otter's free tier offers decent transcription limits and supports most of the AI features above. For additional transcription minutes and more advanced features, you need to subscribe to the Pro tier ($8.33 per user per month, billed annually). You can connect Otter with Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom Workplace.

    Who It's For

    Casual collaborators: If you need transcripts from only the occasional meeting, Otter's free tier is more than capable. You get all the service's core features and up to 300 transcription minutes per month at no cost.

    Record keepers: If you enjoy keeping records and taking notes, Otter's accessible, automatic transcription abilities unburden you from managing all that yourself. Both its mobile and web apps are enjoyable to use, so you won't dread revisiting your files.

    Specs & Configurations

    Automated/Human-powered Automated
    Cloud-Based Apps
    Collaboration Features
    Web Editing
    Learn More Otter Review
The 5 Best AI Tools to Maximize Your Online Meetings

Compare Specs

Select Up To 3Select Up To 2
Our Pick
Rating
4.5 Outstanding
4.5 Outstanding
4.5 Outstanding
4.0 Excellent
4.5 Outstanding
4.5 Outstanding
4.5 Outstanding
4.5 Outstanding
Best For
Best for Video Conferencing
Best for Graphic Design
Best for Whiteboards
Best for Presentations
Best for Live Transcription
Best for Video Conferencing
Best for Graphic Design
Best for Whiteboards
Whiteboard Tools
Web Editing
Web App
Virtual Backgrounds
Video Recordings
Transcription
Touch Interface Support
Social Media Integration
Share Mouse / Keyboard
Share Desktop
Real-Time Collaboration
Pricing Model
SubscriptionSubscription
Price Per Month
$14.99 per Person per Month$10 per person$14.99 per Person per Month$10 per person
Pre-Built Templates
Multi-Language Support
Mobile Presenter App
Mobile Editing App
iOS App
In-App Private Chat
In-App Messaging
Guest Accounts
Free Version Offered
Free Version
Free Account Offered
Edits Raster Graphics
Desktop App
Data-Driven Charts
Collaboration Features
Cloud-Based Apps
Cloud Storage
Can Add Audio
Calendar Integration
Blur Backgrounds
Automated/Human-powered
Automated
Audio Recordings
API Available for Customers
Android App
24/7 Phone Support

Buying Guide: The 5 Best AI Tools to Maximize Your Online Meetings

You can use AI to boost your productivity outside of meetings, too. For example, you can find whatever you need online with AI search engines, leverage AI in your job search, or even take notes with AI, among many other things. Just don't make the mistake of spending more time trying to use AI efficiently than you would actually save by using it, a common trap.

About Our Experts

Robert Anderson

Robert Anderson

Contributor

My Experience

I’ve been freelancing as a tech journalist for several years now, after long wanting to write about my passion for video games. I have bylines on Kotaku and other sites, but PCMag is where you can find most of my musings on gaming, its culture, and where the industry is going next. I also test online services for both businesses and individuals. If you’re interested in hearing me talk about entertainment, film, and TV, you can check out my Patreon and Substack, both under the name “Robby Knows.”

The Technology I Use 

Most of the tech I use every day is within the Apple ecosystem. Currently, I rely on a 2025 MacBook Air for computing and dabble in art projects on my 6th-generation iPad Mini. I don't go anywhere without my AirPods Pro 2 in my pocket. 

As an avid gamer, you better believe that I always have a controller in my hands if I’m not watching movies or TV. I use my PS5 and Switch 2 equally, depending on what’s the hot new release, and am always trying to find interesting ways to tinker with my Steam Deck.  

Given the current state of social media and technology, I find myself going more analog to escape the noise. I have a modest collection of watches, both automatic and digital, to free myself from the pings and notifications of the modern world. I also put my phone in a ySky lockbox for 12 hours every night to reduce my screen time. I spent a lot of the past year trying to read good books rather than scroll through feeds.

Read full bio

Ruben Circelli

Ruben Circelli

Writer, Software

My Experience

I’ve been writing about consumer technology and video games for over a decade at a variety of publications, including Destructoid, GamesRadar+, Lifewire, PCGamesN, Trusted Reviews, and What Hi-Fi?, among many others. At PCMag, I review AI and productivity software—everything from chatbots to to-do list apps. In my free time, I’m likely cooking something, playing a game, or tinkering with my computer.

The Technology I Use

I use a ThinkPad for work, but my heart belongs to the PC I built with a fully custom water-cooling loop down to the SSD. Outside of that, I usually hang onto a Pro Max iPhone for a couple of years before getting the latest model. I also spend a decent amount of time with an aging Kindle.

As for software, I’ve used Chrome and iTunes for too long to stop. I rely on the Google Suite for organization and backing up my data, and I couldn’t enjoy my days off without Discord and Steam. I typically write down what I need to do in the Notes app on my iPhone.

For audio, I’m a lover of cables, especially the ones that connect to my Shure SRH-1540 daily drivers. At home, my Yamaha RX-V583 receiver drives a pair of Paradigm Prestige 15Bs for stereo entertainment, with enough Polk speakers in concert to round out a 7.1 setup.

Read full bio