Granola co-founder says workplaces are questioning AI costs and privacy

In short: More workplaces are becoming selective about AI tools, focusing on real usefulness, cost, and privacy, according to Granola co-founder Chris Pedregal.

What's going on

Granola is a London-based app that records and transcribes meetings, then turns them into summaries. It launched in 2024 and has spread quickly among tech companies in Silicon Valley, according to an interview with co-founder Chris Pedregal.

Pedregal said the mood around workplace AI is shifting. Over the past two years, many companies felt pressure to try lots of AI products so they would not fall behind. Now, he says, people are asking which tools are actually helping, and what they are paying for the computing behind them.

One reason is cost. Pedregal described “tokens” as a basic unit used to measure how much AI computing is used. He said some features can become expensive fast, especially when the app does more than simple note taking, like writing “pre-meeting briefs” or using an “agent” (an AI helper that can take several steps, like searching the web and checking different notes). He added that Granola may need to move from a flat monthly price to usage-based pricing, so the heaviest users pay more.

Pedregal also raised privacy concerns about “always-on” AI listeners. Granola aims to work like a notepad that is private by default, with the user choosing what to share. He said the bigger question for workplaces is who gets access to transcripts, since notes can help an employee, but could also be used for oversight by managers.

What to watch

Expect more debate about when recording is appropriate and who should see the output. Also watch whether meeting tools shift to clearer pricing that reflects actual usage, similar to how phone plans charge more for heavier data users.

Source: Financial Times