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https://github.com/rowboatlabs/rowboat

Open-source AI coworker, with memory
https://github.com/rowboatlabs/rowboat

agents agents-sdk ai ai-agents ai-agents-automation chatgpt claude-code claude-cowork generative-ai llm multiagent opeani open-source orchestration productivity

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Open-source AI coworker, with memory

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# Rowboat  

**Open-source AI coworker that turns work into a knowledge graph and acts on it**



Rowboat connects to your email and meeting notes, builds a long-lived knowledge graph, and uses that context to help you get work done - privately, on your machine.



You can do things like:

- `Build me a deck about our next quarter roadmap` → generates a PDF using context from your knowledge graph

- `Prep me for my meeting with Alex` → pulls past decisions, open questions, and relevant threads into a crisp brief (or a voice note)

- Visualize, edit, and update your knowledge graph anytime (it’s just Markdown)

- Record voice memos that automatically capture and update key takeaways in the graph



Download latest for Mac/Windows/Linux: [Download](https://www.rowboatlabs.com/downloads)



## Demo



[![Demo](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3f560bcf-d93c-4064-81eb-75a9fae31742)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AWoGo-L16I)



[Watch the full video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AWoGo-L16I)



---



## Installation



**Download latest for Mac/Windows/Linux:** [Download](https://www.rowboatlabs.com/downloads)



**All release files:**   https://github.com/rowboatlabs/rowboat/releases/latest



### Google setup

To connect Google services (Gmail, Calendar, and Drive), follow [Google setup](https://github.com/rowboatlabs/rowboat/blob/main/google-setup.md).



### Voice notes

To enable voice notes (optional), add a Deepgram API key in ~/.rowboat/config/deepgram.json:

```

{

  "apiKey": ""

}

```

### Web search

To use Brave web search (optional), add the Brave API key in ~/.rowboat/config/brave-search.json.



To use Exa research search (optional), add the Exa API key in ~/.rowboat/config/exa-search.json.



(same format as above)



## What it does



Rowboat is a **local-first AI coworker** that can:

- **Remember** the important context you don’t want to re-explain (people, projects, decisions, commitments)

- **Understand** what’s relevant right now (before a meeting, while replying to an email, when writing a doc)

- **Help you act** by drafting, summarizing, planning, and producing real artifacts (briefs, emails, docs, PDF slides)



Under the hood, Rowboat maintains an **Obsidian-compatible vault** of plain Markdown notes with backlinks — a transparent “working memory” you can inspect and edit.



## Integrations



Rowboat builds memory from the work you already do, including:

- **Gmail** (email)

- **Granola** (meeting notes)

- **Fireflies** (meeting notes)



## How it’s different



Most AI tools reconstruct context on demand by searching transcripts or documents.



Rowboat maintains **long-lived knowledge** instead:

- context accumulates over time

- relationships are explicit and inspectable

- notes are editable by you, not hidden inside a model

- everything lives on your machine as plain Markdown



The result is memory that compounds, rather than retrieval that starts cold every time.



## What you can do with it



- **Meeting prep** from prior decisions, threads, and open questions

- **Email drafting** grounded in history and commitments

- **Docs & decks** generated from your ongoing context (including PDF slides)

- **Follow-ups**: capture decisions, action items, and owners so nothing gets dropped

- **On-your-machine help**: create files, summarize into notes, and run workflows using local tools (with explicit, reviewable actions)



## Background agents



Rowboat can spin up **background agents** to do repeatable work automatically - so routine tasks happen without you having to ask every time.



Examples:

- Draft email replies in the background (grounded in your past context and commitments)

- Generate a daily voice note each morning (agenda, priorities, upcoming meetings)

- Create recurring project updates from the latest emails/notes

- Keep your knowledge graph up to date as new information comes in



You control what runs, when it runs, and what gets written back into your local Markdown vault.



## Bring your own model



Rowboat works with the model setup you prefer:

- **Local models** via Ollama or LM Studio

- **Hosted models** (bring your own API key/provider)

- Swap models anytime — your data stays in your local Markdown vault



## Extend Rowboat with tools (MCP)



Rowboat can connect to external tools and services via **Model Context Protocol (MCP)**.

That means you can plug in (for example) search, databases, CRMs, support tools, and automations - or your own internal tools.



Examples: Exa (web search), Twitter/X, ElevenLabs (voice), Slack, Linear/Jira, GitHub, and more.



## Local-first by design



- All data is stored locally as plain Markdown

- No proprietary formats or hosted lock-in

- You can inspect, edit, back up, or delete everything at any time



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[Discord](https://discord.gg/wajrgmJQ6b) · [Twitter](https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=rowboatlabshq)