We've come a long way from live video call demonstrations at world's fairs. What was once considered a futuristic idea is now a vital part of how we collaborate, especially in remote work settings.
Consider any workday. Most professionals attend or host at least one meeting. Meetings help with quick decision-making, efficient and real-time collaboration, improved productivity, and more. But people who spend more time in meetings tend to retain less, lack complete concentration, and miss key points, causing them to struggle with follow-up and execution.
While we've all experienced unproductive meetings with no agenda and meetings that could have just been an email, there's undeniable value in video calls. A Lifesize study found that 78% of participants use video conferencing for team meetings and stand-ups.
As meetings remain a primary—and continuously evolving—communication channel, there is a growing need for tools that help make the most of this format.
AI meeting assistants: What are they and what do they do?
AI meeting assistants are like digital helpers that generate crisp meeting summaries and transcripts, identify action items, sync with calendars, and more.
The ultimate goal is to make meetings more productive, streamline follow-ups, and get things done.
For instance, let's consider one of the AI functionalities in Zoho Cliq meetings. It doesn't just record and transcribe the conversation—it also summarizes the key points and creates a list of action items that can be followed up on or assigned as tasks.
This is just one capability, and there are many like this that come with various benefits.
Why AI meeting assistants are considered game changers
With AI assistants handling note-taking and surfacing key follow-up information, you can focus on the conversation instead of multitasking, boosting productivity and reducing fatigue.
Our brains aren’t built to retain every detail from fast-paced meetings. AI ensures nothing slips through the cracks by capturing everything in real time, minimizing miscommunication and missed information.
Auto-generated summaries and task lists ensure that anyone who missed the meeting can quickly catch up without needing a full replay or manual recap. This keeps everyone aligned.
We will all, at some point, need to revisit a decision or reference an old discussion. AI assistants keep a clear, searchable history of meetings, making past context easily accessible weeks or even months later.
What can you expect in the near future?
As virtual collaboration continues to evolve, so does the AI built into tools that support it. Platforms like Zoho Cliq are designing smarter, context-aware AI meeting assistants that can predict user needs and take action.
For instance, while today's AI assistants help with transcripts and summaries, they'll soon be able to identify action items and pull up relevant documents without manual intervention.
You can also expect to see tighter integrations with other service providers for enhanced collaboration.
This is just a glimpse of what’s coming next—there's much more in the pipeline!
With evolution comes challenges
As AI becomes a larger part of our meetings and daily lives, issues like privacy, accuracy, and data security become growing concerns. This is especially true with dealing with complex actions.
When looking for AI in meeting tools, you also need to see if your chosen platform supports native AI functionalities and prioritizes transparency in how your data is handled. This ensures minimal privacy and security risks.
For instance, Zoho Cliq supports the OpenAI integration, but the in-house AI assistant Zia supports native AI functionalities. You can choose between the integration and native capabilities, or opt out as per your needs.
What it all comes down to
As meetings continue to be one of the pillars of workplace collaboration, it’s essential to adopt tools that keep up and evolve with them. Look for solutions that offer powerful, AI-driven capabilities to simplify your workflow and boost efficiency. At the same time, never compromise on privacy and security; both must go hand in hand.
With tools like Zoho Cliq, you’re not just embracing smarter meeting tools; instead, you’re choosing a platform that evolves with you, while keeping your preferences and privacy at the forefront.
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