AI Meeting Assistants As a Project manager, I've grappled with note-taking challenges. It wasn't because the task was inherently difficult, but rather due to a lack of a solid method and bad habits. I used to waste a lot of time trying to capture every word spoken in meetings, which hindered my ability to fully engage, be effective, and grasp the project's big picture. The aftermath of these meetings was equally daunting, as it would take me days to decipher my notes, especially if the topic were new to me.
After a few months of this madness, I knew I had to find a better way. As you can imagine, I began to dread EVERY meeting, knowing how much time and energy it took from me, not to mention if my mind wandered at any point during a meeting (covers eyes). I began researching different methods to develop this essential skill as a PM, to turn around that dreadful feeling when entering meetings, and ultimately succeed in my role. I took the time to develop this skill by applying tips/strategies and utilizing templates to improve my notetaking abilities.
At that point, I was set, or so I thought, but I later discovered and began using AI meeting assistants. If you aren’t familiar with AI Meeting Assistants or AI Companions, it is an AIpowered transcription and summarization tool used to organize, transcribe, and summarize recordings, making note-taking much easier and more efficient. This discovery was a game-changer for me, bringing a sense of relief and liberation from the tedious, timeconsuming note-taking process and allowing me to be more present and engaged in meetings.
To name a few, I have personally used Zoom AI Companion, WAVE, and Otter.ai and have been impressed with the features and accuracy thus far. Although not perfect, these tools have improved my meeting experience, and the future looks promising as AI advances.
Below, I have outlined some of the significant features of the AI Assistants I use:
Zoom AI Companion
- Chat with AI Companion about what you missed if you join late and get a real-time response during your meeting.
- With smart recordings, AI Companion divides meeting recordings into chapters by topic so you can review meeting highlights and next steps more quickly.
- Meeting summaries and asking questions in meetings are supported in 36 languages.
- Included at no additional cost with our Zoom license at Rutgers
WAVE: AI Note Taker
- Wave is an AI Note for iOS devices that captures audio, transcribes it into text, and then generates a summary that can be customized according to your needs.
- Wave leverages Whisper v3, an open-source transcription model from OpenAI, to ensure high accuracy in transcriptions.
- The Free plan offers 30 minutes of recording per month. For more recording time, you can upgrade to the Standard plan for 5 hours per month or the Pro plan for unlimited recording.
Otter.ai
- AI meeting assistant records, transcribes and summarizes in real-time.
- Automatically captures slides and generates meeting summaries.
- Can recognize different speakers, making it easier for team members to understand and use the notes.
- Can be integrated with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet
- Advanced search, export, and playback in Paid versions
- The Free Plan includes 300 monthly transcription minutes, 30 minutes per conversation.
Has anyone used any other AI meeting assistants? I’d love to hear about your experience. There are several AI Assistants to choose from, so please be sure that when selecting one, it complies with industry standards and regulations to ensure your data remains secure.
Earlier this month, Michele Norin, the SVP and CIO of Rutgers OIT, sent a communication about the guidance on the use of AI at Rutgers as the AI landscape continues to evolve: https://it.rutgers.edu/2024/06/05/guidance-on-the-use-of-ai-at-rutgers/. I encourage you to read it if you have not already done so.
Artificial Intelligence at Rutgers
New online resource for AI at Rutgers; intended to assist and guide the Rutgers community in using AI at the University.
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