Char is an open-source AI notepad for your meetings. Use any model — on-device or cloud. Keep your data as files on your disk. No vendor lock-in, no subscription treadmill.
The distinction matters. A note-taker is passive — a bot that sits in your meeting, records everything, and hands you a summary after it's over. A notepad is something you use. You're present, you're engaged, and the AI works alongside you in real time. We believe in the power of notetaking, not notetakers. Read our manifesto for the full picture.
Beyond the notepad
Notetaking reduces cognitive load. We're extending that idea: what other cognitive burdens can we offload? Today it's meeting notes. Tomorrow, email, calendar, and broader workflow — an AI-native executive assistant that actually works for you.
Char combines two capabilities: AI notepad (the foundation — capturing and understanding meetings while you're in them) and AI assistant (the superpower — taking action on that understanding). Learn more in Product Philosophy.
Why this matters
Most AI tools force you into their ecosystem, their models, their rules. We think there's a better path: open source, local-first, file-based. Your notes should survive us. See What We Believe for the convictions behind these choices.