Fathom adds a bot-less meeting mode in a bid to take on Granola

In the realm of online meetings, clutter has become a significant issue. With numerous note-taking assistants participating in calls, the virtual space often feels overcrowded. Fathom, a startup renowned for its AI-driven note-taking solutions, is stepping up to tackle this problem by launching an update that allows its application to transcribe calls without the need for an AI assistant. While there are already a variety of desktop applications like Granola, Talat, Notion, and ChatGPT capable of transcribing conversations, Fathom aims to elevate the experience. The company is introducing features that not only record calls but also offer multiple recording modes for transcription. A key focus for Fathom is enhancing speaker diarization, enabling users to easily identify who contributed what during discussions. CEO Richard White emphasized the importance of this feature, noting that many users struggle with recalling who said what in past meetings. Fathom's ambition to provide a bot-less client for transcriptions has been fueled by notable advancements in AI over the past six months. This update also introduces AI capabilities that allow users to query the meeting database, adding significant value for businesses seeking broader context in their discussions. Additionally, Fathom plans to launch a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, enabling users to extract meeting data and integrate it with their AI tools. This move comes amid recent user dissatisfaction with Granola's alterations to its on-device database, which disrupted AI workflows dependent on transcript data. Fathom is committed to improving the accuracy of its transcription services and expanding the ways users can capture meeting content. Looking ahead, the company is also set to release an iOS app designed for recording in-person meetings.