Silkwave

About Silkwave

Silkwave is a macOS AI workspace that brings multiple model APIs into one chat interface using a Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) approach. It combines on-device and cloud transcription with system audio and microphone recording, plus support for local models through Ollama.

Review

Silkwave aims to reduce friction from juggling browser tabs and multiple service subscriptions by centralizing AI tools in a single desktop app. The app emphasizes fast performance and a lightweight footprint while offering a mix of on-device features and connections to popular cloud providers.

Key Features

• Bring Your Own Key (BYOK): Connect API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Nebius, or run local models via Ollama so you pay only for what you use.
• Advanced audio capture: Record system audio and microphone simultaneously (meetings, calls, browser audio) for accurate context capture.
• Near real-time transcription: On-device Apple Intelligence for free, unlimited transcription, with an option to use OpenAI for higher-accuracy, multilingual results.
• Multimodal chat with files: Drop images, video, audio, or PDFs into chats to get summaries, action items, or answers from uploaded content.
• Privacy-first architecture: Direct-to-client design keeps data on your Mac unless you choose to send it to an API provider; local model support enables fully offline usage.

Pricing and Value

Silkwave itself is positioned around a BYOK model: the app connects to your API keys, so the costs you incur come from the providers you choose to use. On-device transcription via Apple Intelligence is offered free and unlimited, which can significantly reduce transcription costs for heavy users. Running local models with Ollama avoids cloud API charges entirely. For many users, the main value is consolidating multiple paid services into one interface and controlling which providers to spend on.

Pros

• Centralizes multiple AI models and APIs in one native macOS app, reducing tab and subscription clutter.
• Flexible BYOK approach lets you choose providers and manage costs directly.
• Strong audio features: simultaneous system and mic recording plus near real-time transcription options.
• Supports multimodal input (images, video, audio, PDFs) for richer chat interactions.
• Privacy-conscious design with local-model support for users who prefer to avoid cloud processing.

Cons

• macOS-only at launch, so non-Mac users cannot use the app yet.
• Some features users request (global chat search, automatic meeting detection) are on the roadmap but not available immediately.
• Requires managing API keys and bearing provider costs if you rely on cloud models and services.

Silkwave is a strong fit for Mac users who want a single desktop workspace for multiple AI models, especially those who need reliable meeting or call transcription and care about data privacy. It works well for users comfortable managing API keys or who want an offline option via local models; prospective users should expect some feature growth as the app matures.

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