A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ASSIST
A few good
questions.
The small things to know before your next call.
Is Assist free?
Assist is free to download. On-device mode runs on your Mac after the model downloads. If you choose a third-party cloud AI provider, that provider may charge for API usage under its own pricing.
What does Assist do?
Assist lives in your MacBook’s notch. It transcribes your meeting and suggests answers using the conversation and the context you provide. You can also ask for a recap, follow-up questions, or help with what’s on your screen.
Which Macs can run it?
You need an Apple silicon Mac (M1 or newer) running macOS 26 Tahoe or newer. Assist is designed for MacBooks with a notch. On-device AI also needs a one-time model download and several gigabytes of free space.
Does my meeting leave my Mac?
In On-device mode, speech and answers are processed on your Mac after the initial model downloads. If you choose Claude, OpenRouter, or Gemini, the context needed for an answer is sent to that provider. Review the provider’s terms and privacy practices before using it with confidential information.
Does Assist save my audio or transcript?
Assist does not save meeting audio. The live transcript stays in memory and clears when you quit. Your settings and context notes may remain on your Mac; API keys are kept in the macOS Keychain. Cloud providers have their own data-handling policies.
Do I need to tell the other people on my call?
Get any notices, permissions, and consent required for transcription or AI assistance before using Assist. Follow your workplace, school, meeting-platform, and local rules. Accepting Assist’s download terms does not give consent on behalf of anyone else in a meeting.
What happens when I press Screen?
Assist uses what’s on your screen to help with your question. In On-device mode, it reads screen text locally. In cloud mode, a screenshot is sent to your chosen provider when you press Screen. Check the screen for confidential material first.
Can other people see the Assist panel?
Assist offers a setting to exclude its panel from screen capture. Compatibility can vary, so test it with your meeting app. That setting does not replace disclosure or permission where required, and it cannot hide the panel from a camera or someone nearby.
How do I install and start?
Read and accept the download terms, unzip Assist, and move it to Applications. Open Assist and find the buddy in your notch. Choose your AI provider in Settings, add your meeting context, then press Listen. macOS requests microphone and system-audio permissions as needed. This download is a development-signed build and is not notarized.
Can I rely on every answer?
No. Transcripts and AI suggestions can be incomplete or wrong. Check facts, calculations, and commitments before using an answer. The website’s meeting and sales pitch are scripted examples, not live AI results.
Can I use Assist in any country?
Use depends on the laws and rules that apply to you, the meeting participants, and your provider. Our worldwide-use terms and regional notes explain the baseline and link to official guidance for 16 regions. They do not certify every use as lawful.