Me, Myself, and AI: Navigating the New Normal of AI Notetakers

Over the past few months, I've been privileged to connect with experts across fields. While these interactions have been insightful and thought-provoking, I’ve noticed an increasing prevalence of AI notetakers joining these calls. These digital assistants have become a staple in many meetings, often joining before their human counterparts. It’s like having a tiny robot assistant that is always on time, that never forgets to hit record, and can even introduce themselves (albeit via chat) in a round of introductions!

I recently encountered a meeting with two AI notetakers present before their humans arrived. I sat there awkwardly, tempted to engage in small talk with these notetakers just to see what would happen. This got me thinking about the etiquette surrounding AI assistants in professional settings.

🚧 Should these notetakers be allowed to join meetings independently, or only after their owners arrive?
📹 How should consent be handled for recording meeting notes?
🚨 Would an individual have the opportunity to redact sensitive content or keep certain information ‘off the record’ from the notes?
🗒️ And what is the need for multiple notetakers in a single meeting?

In a discussion with Kelly Coney and Maya Elise Joseph-Goteiner, my Velocity Ave LLC partners, we explored the "dead Internet theory," which suggests that the internet is becoming increasingly dominated by bot activity and algorithmically curated content. As AI continues to advance, we're inching closer to a world where AI assistants can represent individuals in meetings and contribute to discussions based on their past interactions and knowledge. While this may seem unlikely now, it's no longer inconceivable. We're even witnessing the rise of AI-generated podcasts with realistic-sounding voices, and although they're not perfect, the distinction between human-generated and AI-generated content is becoming increasingly blurred.

Have you encountered similar situations involving AI notetakers or assistants? Do you believe we need to establish clear norms and guidelines for their use in professional settings? What do you see as the future of AI assistants, and where should we draw the line?