Otter.ai

{{Infobox company

| name = Otter.ai, Inc.

| logo = Otter.ai_company_logo.png

| type = Private

| predecessor = AISense

| location = Mountain View, California, United States

| foundation = {{Start date and age|2016}}

| founders = Sam Liang, Yun Fu

| key_people = Sam Liang, CEO

| industry = Transcription software

| products = Otter transcription software for meeting notes

| revenue =

| num_employees =

| parent =

| homepage = {{Official URL}}

}}

Otter.ai, Inc. is an American transcription software company based in Mountain View, California. The company develops speech to text transcription applications using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Its software, called Otter, shows captions for live speakers, and generates written transcriptions of speech.{{cite web |last1=Solsman |first1=Joan E. |title=To make transcripts is to hate transcripts, but mobile app Otter does it free |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/otters-free-app-brings-voice-transcripts-into-the-mobile-ai-age/ |website=CNET |language=en |date=2018-03-03|accessdate=2020-07-01}}

History

Otter.ai was founded as AISense in 2016 by Sam Liang and Yun Fu, two computer science engineers with a long history of working with artificial intelligence.{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/03/12/aisense-launches-otter-for-teams-a-collaborative-voice-transcription-service-for-enterprises/ |title=Otter for Teams brings collaborative voice transcription to enterprises |website=Venturebeat |date=2019-03-12 |accessdate=2020-07-01}}{{cite web|url=https://www.idgconnect.com/interviews/1505053/otter-ai-ceo-zoom-add-probably |title=Otter.ai CEO on the Zoom add-on you probably need |website=IDG Connect |date=2020-05-18 |accessdate=2020-07-01}}

In January 2018, the company announced a partnership with Zoom Video Communications to transcribe video meetings post-conference.{{cite web |last1=Hiner |first1=Jason |title=AI breakthrough: Otter.ai app can transcribe your meetings in real time, for free |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ai-breakthrough-otter-ai-app-can-transcribe-your-meetings-in-real-time-for-free/ |website=ZDNet |language=en |date=2018-03-02|accessdate=2020-07-01}} In March, the company debuted its first Otter speech translation app at Mobile World Congress. It was available for free for Google's Android and Apple's mobile products. In October, the company launched Otter for Education, a note taking tool designed for college students.{{cite web|url= https://venturebeat.com/2018/10/31/aisenses-otter-for-education-brings-voice-transcription-to-colleges/ |title=AISense's Otter for Education brings voice transcription to colleges|website=Venturebeat |date=2018-10-31 |accessdate=2020-07-01}}

In March 2019, the company launched Otter for Teams, a transcription and storage product for enterprises.{{cite web|url= https://www.zdnet.com/article/transcription-service-otter-launches-enterprise-app-for-teams/ |title=Transcription service Otter launches enterprise app for teams|website=ZDNET |date=2019-03-12 |accessdate=2020-07-02}}

In January 2020, now doing business as Otter.ai, the company announced another US$10M funding round, led by Japanese mobile phone operator NTT Docomo's Docomo Ventures.{{cite web|url= https://venturebeat.com/2020/01/23/aisense-raises-10-million-for-ai-transcription-tool-otter/ |title=Otter.ai raises $10 million for AI transcription tool|website=Venturebeat |date=2020-01-23 |accessdate=2020-07-01}} In April, the company announced it was offering Live Notes for Zoom calls.{{cite web|url= https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/23/otter-ais-newest-feature-offers-live-interactive-transcripts-of-your-zoom-meetings/ |title=Otter.ai's newest feature offers live, interactive transcripts of your Zoom meetings|website=Techcrunch |date=2020-01-23 |accessdate=2020-07-01}}

Technology

To develop its speech transcription technology, the company says it combined deep machine learning using millions of hours of audio recordings, which were analyzed to train the software and improve the transcription capabilities. The company says that it uses proprietary algorithms to scour the web for these usable audio segments.{{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Laurie |title=Could Otter.ai's ambitions in voice extend beyond AI transcriptions? |url=https://www.techworld.com/startups/could-otterai-be-betting-on-voice-powered-future-of-ambient-intelligence-3696182/ |website=Techworld |date=2019-03-01|accessdate=2020-07-02}}{{cite web |title=From Your Mouth to Your Screen, Transcribing Takes the Next Step|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/technology/automatic-speech-transcription-ai.html |website=NY Times |date=2020-06-13|accessdate=2020-07-01}}

=OtterPilot=

In February 2023, Otter.ai launched an AI meeting assistant called OtterPilot, available to all users, which automates meetings, with an AI-generated summary of key meeting topics, automated capture of images of slides shared during virtual meetings, and real-time meeting notes that can be shared and collaborated on. OtterPilot includes Otter Assistant, which can automatically join meetings on a user's calendar and transcribe conversations.[https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/14/otter-ai-launches-otterpilot-its-new-ai-meeting-assistant/ Aisha Malik “Otter.ai launches OtterPilot, its new AI meeting assistant”, TechCrunch, 14 February 2023]

Privacy and security

In March 2018, technology news site ZDNet reported issues with Otter.ai’s privacy policy, noting that the company could access uploaded recordings and transcriptions. In response, Otter.ai updated its policy and stated that only the company's chief technology officer would allow access to transcriptions, and only in response to a "legitimate user request".{{cite web |last1=Whittaker |first1=Zack |date=2018-03-06 |title=Otter, a popular new transcription app, raises privacy red flags |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/otter-popular-new-transcription-app-raises-privacy-red-flags/ |accessdate=2020-07-01 |website=ZDNet |language=en}} In 2022, Politico highlighted further concerns about the privacy practices of Otter.ai after the company queried journalist Phelim Kine{{Cite web|last=Kine|first=Phelim|date=2022-02-16|title=My journey down the rabbit hole of every journalist's favorite app|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/16/my-journey-down-the-rabbit-hole-of-every-journalists-favorite-app-00009216|access-date=2022-02-16|website=POLITICO|language=en}} about the purpose of a meeting transcribed through Otter.ai, which involved a discussion with Mustafa Aksu, a Uyghur human rights advocate. Kine reported receiving an unusual survey from Otter.ai referencing the interview's title, leading to fears of potential surveillance or data leaks. Although Otter.ai confirmed the legitimacy of the survey, they later retracted that statement and advised Kine to ignore it.{{Cite web|last=Kine|first=Phelim|date=2022-02-16|title=My journey down the rabbit hole of every journalist's favorite app|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/16/my-journey-down-the-rabbit-hole-of-every-journalists-favorite-app-00009216|access-date=2022-02-16|website=POLITICO|language=en}}

Reception

Digital media website Mashable and technology publication Fast Company named Otter one of the best apps of 2018.{{cite web |title=The best apps of 2018 |url=https://mashable.com/article/best-apps-of-2018/#e8KV0leKIiqS |website=Mashable |date=2018-12-15|accessdate=2020-07-01}}{{cite web |title=The 25 best new apps of 2018 |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90283220/the-25-best-new-apps-of-2018 |website=Fast Company |date=2018-12-20|accessdate=2020-07-02}}