Best AI video conferencing software in 2026: the buyer's shortlist

Key takeaways

Bridge is our top pick for AI that works during the call: a live transcript, organizing artifacts and a private Assistant you can ask mid-call.
On paid Bridge plans, your own agents can work privately in the background, surfacing answers in your Assistant when the conversation calls for it. They can also join a Bridge call as voice participants.
Of the other four platforms, only Google Meet includes live speech translation without an add-on, from the Business Standard plan.
Zoom and Webex include in-meeting AI on their entry paid plans. Teams needs a Teams Premium or Microsoft 365 Copilot license for its AI recap.
Compare prices on the same billing basis: annual plans are cheaper than paying month to month on Bridge, Google Workspace, Zoom and Webex.

Want to feel the difference first? Start a free three-minute meeting with the Bridge Assistant, no sign-up needed. Try the AI video meeting demo →

What AI video conferencing actually is (and what it is not)

AI video conferencing is a video meeting platform with AI built into the call. At a minimum it transcribes the meeting and writes a summary. More advanced platforms help while people talk, with live answers, translation and notes that update as the discussion moves.

The AI usually works in three moments. Before the call it can prepare a brief. During the call it can caption, translate, answer questions or catch you up if you join late. After the call it writes notes, action items and a searchable transcript.

It is not the same as adding a notetaker bot to an ordinary meeting. A bot can record and summarize, but it can't change the meeting experience for everyone in the room.

It also isn't free of judgment calls. AI summaries can miss a condition or misattribute a comment, so someone should confirm decisions before they're shared. And everyone should know when a meeting is being recorded or transcribed.

How we ranked these AI video conferencing platforms

Bridge publishes this list, and we put Bridge first. To keep it fair, we compared every platform on the same facts, taken from each vendor's pricing pages and help center in October 2026.

Bridge leads on live AI. Besides a live transcript and a private in-call Assistant, your own agents can work in the background during the call, or join it as voice participants.

After Bridge, we ranked the rest on three checks, in order. First, live speech translation without an add-on, which only Google Meet includes. Second, in-meeting AI on the entry paid plan, which Zoom and Webex include and Teams doesn't. Third, AI on the free plan: Zoom gives three summaries a month, and Webex gives none.

Live AI: what the AI can do while people are talking, not only afterwards.
AI included: which meeting AI features come with the plan, and which need an add-on or extra license.
Free-plan AI: which meeting AI features you get at $0.
Entry price: the lowest paid price per user per month, on an annual plan and month to month.
Capacity: participants and meeting length on the entry paid plan.

See how a meeting on Bridge works:

The best AI video conferencing software in 2026

Here are five platforms worth a trial, each with the job it does best. Bridge comes first for live AI, then the rest follow in the order our three checks put them. Prices are per user per month in USD, as listed on each vendor's site. Plans and promotions change, so confirm the price before you buy.

1. Bridge, best for meetings where AI works alongside you during the call

Bridge is a video meeting platform built around AI. You get the essentials, like screen sharing with audio, chat, reactions, raised hands and layouts. Guests join from a link without an account, and a lobby lets the host admit them.

The difference is what happens while people talk. Side panels show a live transcript, artifacts that organize notes as the conversation moves, and a private Assistant you can question mid-call without interrupting anyone.

On paid plans, your own AI agents can work in the background. A proactive agent listens for the moments you set, such as a pricing question, and answers privately in your Assistant. When you want AI in the conversation itself, the Bridge Assistant or an agent can join a Bridge call as a voice participant.

Before the call, a brief pulls in who is attending and context from earlier meetings. After it, you get structured notes, a speaker-labeled transcript and the recording. Bridge can also capture your Zoom, Meet and Teams calls, with the same live AI.

Free plan: Starter costs $0 with no credit card, for meetings of up to 5 participants and 60 minutes, with unlimited meeting notes.
Professional: $15 per user per month billed annually, or $20 month to month; 25 participants and 8 hours per meeting.
Business: $25 billed annually, or $30 month to month; 200 participants and 24 hours per meeting.
Live AI: limited on Starter; paid plans include Live AI Credits for real-time features during calls. Creating and using agents needs a paid plan.

Best suited for: Teams that want AI working inside the meeting, not only a summary afterwards. It suits client calls, planning sessions and internal meetings of up to 200 people on Business.

2. Google Meet, best for live translation in Google Workspace

Google Meet comes with Google Workspace, and Gemini in Meet is included from the Business Standard plan up. It can summarize, translate and take notes in meetings. Business Starter doesn't include it.

Speech translation translates what you say in real time, in a voice like yours, between English and several languages. It's included with Gemini, with no add-on. It has limits: 90 minutes per meeting, and it isn't available on phones.

Take notes for me saves AI notes to a Google Doc. Google recommends it for meetings of 15 minutes to 8 hours. Business Standard allows 150 participants per meeting.

Free (personal account): group meetings up to 60 minutes, one-on-ones up to 24 hours, 100 participants.
Business Starter: $7 per user per month on an annual plan, or $8.40 month to month, without Gemini in Meet.
Business Standard: $14 on an annual plan, or $16.80 month to month, with Gemini in Meet. Business Plus: $22 or $26.40.

Best suited for: Organizations that run on Gmail, Docs and Calendar and want meeting notes saved straight into Docs. Multilingual teams can try speech translation on desktop.

3. Zoom Workplace, best for a built-in AI meeting assistant

Zoom has ZoomMate, its AI assistant for meetings. It writes meeting summaries, answers questions during the call and takes notes, and its note-taking also works in meetings on other platforms. Bridge has a similar assistant built in: the private in-call Assistant.

Paid Zoom plans include ZoomMate summaries and in-meeting questions. The free plan limits summaries to 3 meetings a month and AI note-taking to 3 uses a month. A separately priced ZoomMate tier adds AI credits and custom agents.

Paid meetings can run up to 30 hours. Free meetings stop at 40 minutes.

Free (Basic): 40 minutes and 100 participants per meeting; AI summaries for 3 meetings a month.
Pro: $14.16 per user per month billed annually, or $16.99 month to month; 100 participants.
Business: $18.33 billed annually, or $21.99 month to month; 300 participants.

Best suited for: Teams that already meet on Zoom and want an AI meeting assistant without an add-on. Small groups on the free plan will hit the 40-minute limit quickly.

4. Webex, best for in-meeting AI on a low-cost paid tier

Webex includes its Cisco AI Assistant from the lowest paid plan, Webex Meet. During a meeting it gives you in-meeting summaries to catch up and answers questions about the discussion. Afterwards you get a summary and transcript, and recording summaries add notes, action items and chapters.

Webex Meet allows 200 attendees and meetings of up to 24 hours. A Real-Time Translation add-on translates from English into 100+ languages, at $300 per license per year.

Its free plan doesn't include the AI Assistant.

Free: 40 minutes and 100 attendees per meeting, without the AI Assistant.
Meet: $12 per user per month billed annually ($144 a year), or $14.50 month to month.
Suite (meetings and calling): $22.50 billed annually, or $25 month to month.

Best suited for: Teams that want built-in AI summaries at a low per-user price. Organizations with Cisco calling or meeting-room hardware will feel most at home.

5. Microsoft Teams, best for Microsoft 365 organizations

Teams has the lowest entry price on this list. Teams Essentials costs $4 per user per month on an annual subscription, and paid plans allow 300 participants and 30-hour meetings.

Its AI meeting recap is not in the base plans. Intelligent recap, with AI notes, suggested tasks, speaker timelines and chapters, needs a Teams Premium or Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

Live captions cover 30+ languages on Microsoft 365 plans, but English only on Teams Essentials. Copilot Chat is available at no extra cost to eligible users.

Free: meetings up to 60 minutes.
Teams Essentials: $4 per user per month on an annual subscription. Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $7, paid yearly.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot: $23.50, paid yearly. Teams Premium add-on: $10, paid yearly.

Best suited for: Companies already standardized on Microsoft 365, especially those licensing Copilot. Budget-focused teams should price the AI add-ons before they choose it for AI notes.

Side-by-side comparison

The table repeats the ranking checks: what live AI the entry paid plan includes, and what it costs on an annual plan and month to month.

Platform	Meeting AI on the entry paid plan	Entry paid plan, per user per month
Bridge	Live transcript, artifacts, private in-call Assistant, agents in the background or as voice participants, notes after the call	$15 billed annually, $20 month to month (Professional)
Google Meet	None on Business Starter. Gemini in Meet, with live speech translation and notes, from Business Standard	$7 annually, $8.40 month to month (Business Starter). Business Standard: $14 or $16.80
Zoom Workplace	ZoomMate: summaries and in-meeting questions	$14.16 billed annually, $16.99 month to month (Pro)
Webex	Cisco AI Assistant: in-meeting summaries and questions, summary and transcript after the call	$12 billed annually, $14.50 month to month (Meet)
Microsoft Teams	None. AI recap needs Teams Premium ($10) or a Copilot license	$4 on an annual subscription (Essentials)

See what live AI feels like before you choose. Start a free three-minute meeting with the Bridge Assistant, no sign-up needed. Try the AI video meeting demo →

Which AI video conferencing platform fits your use case

Most teams already have a meeting platform through their email and office suite. Start from the job you want AI to do, then check whether your current platform covers it.

If you need	Start with	Why
AI that helps during the call, privately or out loud	Bridge	Live transcript, artifacts, a private Assistant and agents that work in the background or join as voice participants.
Live speech translation without an add-on	Google Meet	Gemini in Meet translates speech, from Business Standard up.
An AI meeting assistant without an add-on	Zoom Workplace	Paid plans include ZoomMate summaries and in-meeting questions.
Built-in AI at a low paid price	Webex	The AI Assistant is included from the $12 Meet plan.
A Microsoft 365 rollout	Microsoft Teams	Fits existing licensing; add Premium or Copilot for AI recaps.

What a meeting on Bridge produces

Here is what one hosted meeting on Bridge gives you. Say a 45-minute planning call with four people on a Professional plan, with a project agent set to help.

Before: a brief with the attendees and context from earlier conversations.
During: a live transcript, artifacts that organize notes as you talk, and an Assistant you can ask without interrupting anyone.
In the background: when someone asks about the budget, the agent answers privately in your Assistant. Invite it to the call and it can answer out loud instead.
After: structured notes with a summary, decisions and follow-ups, a speaker-labeled transcript and the recording, ready to share.

Want to see it first? Start a free three-minute meeting with the Bridge Assistant, no sign-up needed. Try the AI video meeting demo →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best AI video conferencing software in 2026?

We rank Bridge first because its AI works during the call, not just after it. If you need a mainstream platform with AI included, Google Meet Business Standard adds live speech translation, and Zoom Workplace Pro includes ZoomMate, its AI meeting assistant.

Which video conferencing platforms include AI for free?

Zoom's free plan limits ZoomMate to AI summaries for three meetings a month. Bridge's free Starter plan includes unlimited meeting notes and Assistant chats, with limited live AI. Webex's free plan doesn't include its AI Assistant.

What does AI do during a video meeting?

It can transcribe and caption the call, translate speech and answer questions about what was said. On Bridge, your own agents can also work privately in the background, answering in your Assistant, or join the call as voice participants.

Can AI help in a meeting without speaking up?

Yes. On paid Bridge plans, a proactive agent listens for the moments you choose and answers privately in your Assistant, so only you see it. It works on Bridge calls and on Zoom, Meet or Teams calls that Bridge captures.

How do I get AI notes in Microsoft Teams?

Teams' intelligent recap needs a Teams Premium or Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Without one, use live captions and transcripts, or capture the call with a notetaker such as Bridge Agent.

What should I check before enabling meeting AI?

Check which plan includes the features you need and whether they cost extra. Tell attendees when a meeting is recorded or transcribed, and review AI notes before sharing them.

Try Bridge for free (no credit card required)

Bridge's Starter plan is free, and you don't need a credit card. Host meetings with notes when every call ends. Upgrade when you want your own agents working in your calls.

Guests join from a link, no account required. Already on Zoom, Meet or Teams? Bridge can capture those calls too. New accounts get a 14-day Professional trial.

Sources & further reading

Keep readingGoogle Meet vs Teams: comparing AI notes and transcripts →