Google AI Edge Foresight is an experimental Mac app from Google that listens to your meetings, transcribes them and turns your quick shorthand into full AI notes, all on your own computer, even with no internet. It’s a promising private alternative to cloud note-takers, but it’s a developer showcase rather than a finished product, so treat it as a preview.
Key takeaways
- Announced by Google on October 6, 2026, alongside its new EmbeddingGemma 2 model. Google calls it experimental.
- Runs on Mac and is optimized for Apple silicon. Audio and transcripts are processed on the device, and it can work fully offline.
- Captures your microphone and system audio, so it works with Zoom, Meet, Teams or an in-person chat.
- You type short bullets; it expands them using the live transcript. A Gemma 4 assistant answers questions about meetings and your own files.
- Google hasn’t published detailed system requirements, supported languages or long-term plans for the app.
What is Google AI Edge Foresight?
Foresight comes from Google’s AI Edge team, the group that builds tools for running AI directly on phones and laptops instead of in the cloud. Google’s developer blog introduced it as an experimental, “context-aware meeting companion” that shows off what its new on-device models can do.
Under the hood are two models: EmbeddingGemma 2, a 740-million-parameter model that helps the app search and connect text, images, audio and documents, and Gemma 4, which powers the chat assistant. TechCrunch compared the layout to the popular note-taker Granola: your own rough notes on one side, AI-organized notes on the other.
It joins Google’s other experimental Mac apps, AI Edge Gallery and the offline dictation app AI Edge Eloquent, according to 9to5Google.
What Foresight can do
- Transcribe any meeting. It records both your mic and your Mac’s system audio, so it isn’t tied to one video-call app, and it can capture in-person conversations too.
- Expand shorthand. Jot “pricing ok, send PO fri” and Foresight fills in the detail from what was actually said.
- Full transcripts you can review afterwards.
- A personal knowledge base. Add PDFs, Microsoft Office files, Google Docs, Markdown, plain text and web bookmarks. 9to5Google reports it can also use local folders, Google Drive and your calendar.
- Live answers. Google says it can detect questions raised in a meeting and suggest answers from your material in real time.
- Chat with your notes. Ask things like “what did we agree on delivery dates?” across meetings and files.
How to get started with Foresight
- Check your Mac. Coverage says it’s optimized for Apple silicon (M-series). Google hasn’t published a minimum macOS version or RAM figure that we could find, so an older Intel Mac may not be a good fit.
- Download it from Google’s official page at developers.google.com/edge/foresight. Avoid copies from other download sites.
- Grant permissions. Expect macOS to ask for microphone access and permission to capture system audio. Only grant what you’re comfortable with.
- Add a little context first. Drop in an agenda, a price sheet or last month’s proposal so the assistant has something useful to pull from.
- Tell people you’re recording (more on that below), then type short bullets as you go.
- Review before you send. AI notes can mishear names, numbers and dates. Check anything you’ll forward to a client.
We couldn’t confirm a price. Google stresses there’s no cloud subscription, and the app is offered as a download on its developer site, but no pricing or long-term availability details were published.
Privacy and recording consent in Canada
The big selling point is privacy. According to Google, transcript and audio processing happens on your Mac and sensitive information stays on the device. That’s a real advantage for lawyers, accountants, health-adjacent businesses or anyone discussing client details, compared with tools that upload audio to a server.
On-device doesn’t remove your responsibilities, though. In Canada it’s generally legal to record a conversation you’re part of, but businesses collecting people’s personal information have obligations under privacy law, and many clients simply expect to be asked. A quick “Mind if I record this for my notes?” at the start of a call is the safe, respectful habit. Also remember that transcripts saved on your laptop are only as secure as the laptop: use a strong password and FileVault disk encryption.
Who it’s for, and the alternatives
Good fit: Mac users with Apple silicon who want AI meeting notes without sending audio to the cloud, people who travel or work with patchy internet, and tinkerers curious about on-device AI.
Skip it if: you’re on Windows or an Intel Mac, you need a supported tool for a whole team, or you run meetings in languages other than English. Notebookcheck notes Google hasn’t said how well transcription handles other languages. Google’s earlier experimental dictation app never went mainstream, so don’t build a critical workflow around Foresight yet.
Alternatives: cloud note-takers like Granola, or the AI note features built into paid Zoom, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 plans, are more polished and team-friendly, but your audio goes to their servers. Foresight trades polish for privacy.
Station verdict
Exciting preview of private AI notes. Not a daily driver yet.
Offline transcription plus smart notes that never leave your Mac is exactly what many small businesses have been asking for. Try it on low-stakes meetings and see how it handles your accents, names and jargon. We haven’t scored it because this guide is based on Google’s announcement and published coverage, not our own structured test.
FAQ
Does Google AI Edge Foresight work offline?
Yes. Google says it can work completely offline, with audio and transcripts processed on your Mac.
Is Foresight available for Windows or iPhone?
No. It’s Mac-only for now, and Google hasn’t announced other versions.
Does it join my Zoom or Teams call as a bot?
No. It listens through your Mac’s microphone and system audio, so there’s no bot in the call. That’s also why you should tell participants you’re recording.
Is Foresight free?
Google says no cloud subscription is needed, but it hasn’t published pricing or how long the experiment will run.
Before you hand any AI tool your work files, read our 6 rules for using AI agents safely, and see our list of free AI tools for small business owners. More reviews in Tools.
Sources: Google Developers Blog · TechCrunch · 9to5Google · Notebookcheck. This article was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by Media Station. Disclosure.