Google Meet Is Getting an AI Note-Taking Upgrade

AI-powered note-taking arrives for Google Meet: Google has begun rolling out its new “take notes for me” feature to select Google Workspace customers, offering automatic AI-generated summaries of meetings.

Key features and availability:

• The feature is currently available to customers with Gemini Enterprise, Gemini Education Premium, or AI Meetings & Messaging add-ons
• It automatically summarizes meeting content in a Google Doc, which is then attached to the calendar event and shared with participants
• The tool currently only supports spoken English
• Google plans to complete the rollout to all Google Workspace customers by September 10th, 2024

How it works:

• Unlike Meet’s transcription tool, which captures verbatim speech, this feature provides a summary of the meeting’s content
• Late joiners can receive a summary of what they missed, allowing them to quickly catch up
• The feature can be used alongside Google Meet’s recordings and transcripts tool, with links to these files included in the summary document

Potential benefits:

• Reduces stress for those who miss important meetings by providing comprehensive summaries
• Serves as an accessibility tool for individuals who struggle with processing spoken language and taking notes simultaneously
• Allows participants to be more present and focused during meetings, rather than being preoccupied with note-taking

Limitations and concerns:

• Currently only available in English, limiting its global applicability
• The accuracy of AI-generated summaries remains untested, with potential for errors similar to those found in Meet’s transcription tool
• Users may need to verify and correct AI-generated notes, potentially requiring additional time and effort

Broader implications: While Google Meet’s new AI note-taking feature shows promise in streamlining meeting documentation and improving accessibility, its effectiveness will ultimately depend on the accuracy and reliability of the AI-generated summaries. As with many AI tools, users may need to balance the convenience of automation with the need for human oversight and verification.