Oats

Product Introduction

1. Definition: Oats is a local-first, open-source AI meeting note-taking application for macOS and Windows. It operates as a desktop client that processes audio and generates notes entirely on the user's device.
2. Core Value Proposition: Oats exists to provide private, frictionless, and actionable meeting notes without requiring cloud subscriptions, third-party bots, or data sharing. Its primary value is enabling professionals to capture meeting outcomes with zero privacy compromise and full data ownership.

Main Features

1. On-Device Recording & Processing: Oats captures audio directly from your computer's system audio or microphone. No browser extension or virtual meeting bot is required. The raw audio never leaves your machine, ensuring complete privacy. This local processing is a core technical differentiator from cloud-based competitors.
2. Local AI-Powered Note Generation: After a meeting, Oats uses a locally-run Large Language Model (LLM) to transcribe audio and generate structured notes. This includes a quick digest, full summary, a list of action items with assignees, and a meeting quality score. All AI processing occurs on-device, eliminating data transmission to external servers.
3. Native Obsidian & Markdown Integration: For users on the local backend, Oats exports notes as plain Markdown files and action items in the Obsidian Tasks format. Users can specify an Obsidian vault directory, allowing meeting notes to automatically appear in their personal knowledge management system, enabling seamless syncing and further processing.
4. Centralized Todo Management: Action items extracted from all meetings are aggregated into a dedicated Todos tab within the Oats application. Checking off an item in the notes or in the linked Obsidian vault automatically synchronizes the status, creating a reliable system for tracking follow-ups across all conversations.
5. Cloud-Enhanced Features (Optional): Users can optionally sign up for the ariso.ai cloud backend to access advanced features like enhanced multi-language transcription accuracy, automated speaker recognition (tagging), and AI coaching insights, while keeping the core recording functionality local.

Problems Solved

1. Pain Point: Privacy concerns with cloud-based meeting assistants. Many tools require sending sensitive meeting audio to third-party servers, creating security, compliance, and trust issues.
2. Pain Point: Disconnected notes and action items. Traditional note-taking often leaves action items buried in documents, leading to missed follow-ups and reduced meeting accountability.
3. Target Audience: Security-conscious professionals (engineers, lawyers, executives), remote teams, open-source advocates, and productivity enthusiasts who use tools like Obsidian for personal knowledge management.
4. Use Cases: Capturing confidential business strategy sessions, recording client calls under NDA, maintaining a searchable archive of all team stand-ups, and integrating meeting outcomes directly into a developer's or writer's existing note-taking workflow.

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation: Unlike SaaS tools like Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, or Fathom, Oats offers a permanently free, locally-executed core experience. Unlike note-taking bots that join calls, Oats is invisible and uses system audio, working in any meeting platform or even in-person conversations.
2. Key Innovation: The combination of local-first architecture with open-source code and deep Obsidian integration. This trio ensures user sovereignty: they control the data, can audit the software, and own the output format, preventing vendor lock-in. The model of optional cloud features for enhancement, not core functionality, is also a distinct approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is Oats really free forever? Yes, the core application with on-device recording and local AI note-taking is completely free with no usage limits. The optional ariso.ai cloud backend for features like speaker recognition may have its own pricing, but the local functionality remains free.
2. How does Oats record meetings without joining the call? Oats accesses your computer's system audio output (what you hear) or microphone input directly at the operating system level. It does not inject itself as a participant into video conferencing apps like Zoom or Teams; it simply listens to the audio your computer is playing or capturing.
3. What are the system requirements for running the local AI? Running on-device LLMs requires a relatively powerful modern computer (typically with a capable CPU and sufficient RAM, often 16GB+). The specific requirements depend on the model used. Users with less powerful hardware can opt for the cloud backend for AI processing.
4. Can I use Oats with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams? Yes. Because Oats records system audio, it is compatible with any application that plays sound on your computer, including all major video conferencing platforms, phone calls via desktop apps, and even audio from web browsers.
5. Where are my notes stored when using the local mode? Your notes are stored as Markdown files in a location you choose, typically an Obsidian vault folder on your local hard drive. The audio recordings are also stored locally on your machine. No data is stored on external servers unless you explicitly use the cloud features.