How to take AI meeting notes and stay within UK GDPR

"I'm on client calls all day and forget half of what we agreed. I'd like AI notes, but I'm not sure I'm allowed to record people."

Last checked: 16 October 2026

Short answer

Our pick: Otter.ai. Records and transcribes Zoom, Teams and Google Meet calls with a summary afterwards.

Best free option: Otter.ai's free plan (same tool as our pick; usage limits may apply).

Time to set up: about 10 minutes.

Jump to the prompt ↓

Copy this prompt

Use it with the transcript in ChatGPT or Claude.

Prompt
Here is a transcript of a call with [client]. Summarise it in 5 bullet points, list every action with who owns it and a due date, and draft a short follow-up email to the client confirming what we agreed.
Remove any bank or tax reference numbers from the summary.

[paste transcript]

UK note: Recordings and transcripts are personal data, so be open with people that you're recording and use the data fairly and transparently. (GOV.UK, checked 16 Oct 2026)

Worked example

Illustrative example: written by us, not a recorded AI output. Sarah is a bookkeeper in Manchester. After a 30-minute call with a café owner, she pastes in the transcript. Example output (shape): five summary bullets, then three actions: "Sarah: set up receipt capture by Fri 23 Oct; client: send September receipts by Wed 21 Oct; Sarah: confirm the MTD start date by Fri 23 Oct". It ends with a short follow-up email.

Your first 10 minutes

  1. Create an Otter account

    Go to otter.ai and choose the sign-up option.

    You should see your Otter home page.

  2. Connect your calendar

    In Otter, open the apps or integrations area, add your Google or Microsoft calendar, sign in and allow access.

    You should see your calendar events on your Otter home page.

  3. Choose which calls get recorded

    On your Otter home page calendar, turn off auto-join for any call you don't want recorded (Otter Help Center, updated 13 Feb 2026; checked 16 Oct 2026).

    Warning: change it at least 30 minutes before the meeting (Otter Help Center).

  4. Tell people in the invite

    Add: "I use an AI note-taker to record and transcribe this call. Tell me if you'd rather I didn't."

  5. Say it again at the start

    Stop the recording if anyone objects.

  6. Check the actions (never skip this)

    After the call, open the conversation in Otter, paste the transcript into the prompt, then check every name, date and action against what you remember before you send the follow-up.

    You should see a follow-up email you can send.

What you'll get

A transcript, a summary and a list of actions. Transcripts can mishear names and numbers, so check them.

Cost

Otter.ai: Free plan; Pro £17.49–£17.99/month or £99.99/year; Business £30/month or £229.99/year (UK in-app price; web price may differ). Checked 16 Oct 2026 at https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/id1276437113.

Compare

  • Fireflies.ai: Free plan; Pro $10/seat/month and Business $19/seat/month billed yearly ($18 and $29 monthly) (US pricing; UK price not published) (checked 16 Oct 2026, Source)
  • Notion: Free plan; Plus $10/seat/month; Business $20/seat/month (US pricing; UK price not published) (checked 16 Oct 2026, Source)
  • Microsoft Copilot: Free app; Microsoft 365 Copilot (business) from £13.80/user/month billed yearly, or £19.32/user/month billed monthly (checked 16 Oct 2026, Source)

What to do next

  • Decide how long you'll keep recordings, and delete old ones on a schedule.
  • Next guide: push actions into your task list → Automation.
  • Get the free starter kit → /starter-kit.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to tell people I'm recording?

Be open about it. Recordings and transcripts are personal data, so be open with people that you're recording and use the data fairly and transparently.

Where does Otter store my data?

In the US: Otter says it uses AWS there (Otter subprocessors, checked 16 Oct 2026), and we found no public UK or EU storage option, so ask Otter if you need one. Otter.ai, Inc. is an Active Participant in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, UK Extension and Swiss-US DPF (non-HR data; JAMS for disputes; renewal due 28 Mar 2027): search "Otter" on the DPF list (checked 16 Oct 2026). Its terms also include Standard Contractual Clauses and the UK Addendum (terms and DPA).

Is Otter free?

Otter has a free plan you can start on; usage limits apply and paid plans add more. Pro is £17.49–£17.99/month as a UK in-app price (checked 16 Oct 2026).

Related: Meeting notes · Automation · Otter

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