Technology And Analytics

Generative
Virtual AI
Meetings Will Transform
by Dash Bibhudatta
November 29, 2023

HBR Staff/Maskot/Getty Images

Summary. Generative AI will forever change the way meetings are conducted. In
the near future, meetings will offer personalized content and purpose-driven
expertise, while also serving as guardians against bias and promoting active
learning. As AI continues to advance,... more

Your company’s video conferencing system probably uses

rudimentary AI to record meetings and create transcripts. But
over the next few months, thanks to generative AI, your software
will gain capabilities that will completely upend how online
meetings are conducted. Some of the newest features already
being tested include automatically generating meeting minutes,
assigning action items, creating Q&A meeting summaries, and
more.

Before vendors make these solutions generally available to

clients, it’s critical that companies understand the essential
factors that contribute to effective meetings. This article is
intended to help anyone who regularly uses videoconferencing
systems understand which features will be available soon, and
how those features will impact your video calls. As the founder of
a technology company that offers software engineering services to
companies looking to implement next-gen technologies such as
AI and machine learning, I believe the combination of generative
AI and videoconferencing software will forever shape how (and
how effectively) we meet. But these features will only benefit your
company if you use them in ways that address common
videoconferencing and in-person meeting limitations.

I have identified three key factors as the pillars of online meeting

effectiveness: meaningful engagement, actionable outcomes, and
fostering diversity and inclusiveness. Using these pillars, I can
envision a set of possible AI capabilities that can be added to
videoconferencing systems, some of which are already being
tested, and some of which I anticipate will be available based on
my understanding of generative AI’s capabilities and
conversations with clients and partners.

To identify and prioritize such AI-powered use cases for

videoconferencing systems, I started by asking several critical
questions:

Which meeting strategies and practices are effective in the real

world? How can we replicate them using generative AI?
How can we address and overcome common challenges and
barriers associated with these key factors?
What can we learn from research from related disciplines such as
team effectiveness, organizational culture, and human-computer
 interaction to improve meeting effectiveness?
How can AI-driven insights and analytics be used as
reinforcement for learning and improvement in meetings?
4 Characteristics of a Successful Meeting
Four characteristics of online meetings significantly impact
meeting effectiveness: personalized content tailored to learning
styles, purpose alignment, bias detection and prevention, and
promoting active learning. By focusing on these essential
characteristics, your company will be poised to deliver a
significant leap in meeting effectiveness.

Below is a brief overview of each capability and how AI can drive

a change in their execution.
Personalized content tailored to learning styles
We all learn in different ways. Visual learners benefit from
visually appealing materials like infographics and videos.
Auditory learners prefer personalized audio content and
discussion-oriented sessions. Historically, it was cost-prohibitive
to personalize content. But given the leap in generative AI
capabilities, it is now possible to generate multiple versions of the
same core content. Advanced generative AI systems will soon be
able to tailor content (prep, during meeting, and follow up) to the
unique learning style of each participant, boosting engagement
and action orientation. Zoom is already testing a feature that
allows users to chat with a generative AI “companion” during and
after meetings to help users better understand the content
presented.

Purpose alignment
Meetings are not one-size-fits-all. Information-sharing meetings
require a different structure than brainstorming sessions.
Coordination meetings have a different rhythm than monthly
business reviews. Generative AI makes it possible for a bot to
replicate the expertise of facilitators and guide every team
through a structured process. More importantly, they feature
capabilities that facilitate coaching teams and leaders.
Bias detection and prevention
Bias can manifest in subtle ways, such as men with louder voices
interrupting women with softer voices during video calls. As
digital meetings become increasingly ubiquitous, AI can serve as
a vigilant listening post. The intention is not to intrude. But bias
must be interrupted in real time. Generative AI is being tested as a
way to help HR design real-time interventions to interrupt bias.
Additionally, personalized recommendations will assist teams
and leaders with feedback and improvement plans. HR can gain a
broader understanding of the progress made against diversity and
inclusion goals. It can identify potential hot spots before they
escalate into significant issues.

Collective and individual learning promotion

Meetings serve as valuable ground to advance individual and
collective learning. Meetings help us gain insights into our
personal capabilities in areas such as communication, conflict
resolution, and teamwork. Meetings help teams improve trust,
accountability, and coordination. To optimize the learning
experience, advanced video conferencing solutions must now be
designed to foster active engagement, gain insights into team
dynamics, and deliver real-time feedback during meetings. These
features will enable individuals and teams to broaden their
knowledge, foster idea exchange, and attain greater levels of
learning and innovation during meetings. Vendors like Cisco and
Zoom are already testing and building these features into their
tools. Companies that purchase these systems must be mindful of
how the tools are built, how they will be used, and which
advanced features are necessary for the best possible
collaboration experience for employees.

12 Generative AI Use Cases for Meeting Effectiveness

Based on my research into online video systems, online meetings,
and generative AI, I have prioritized 12 emerging and proposed
use cases of generative AI for videoconferencing. Some of the
features are being tested by videoconferencing companies. Others
are capabilities that are common in other generative AI systems
and will likely be available for videoconferencing within the next
several months and years.

Use cases for improving learning-style personalization

1. Four narratives: This use case generates multiple narratives
from one piece of core content. Each narrative caters to a
specific learning style. One of my company’s partners is working
with a management consultant whose core content is stored in a
knowledge graph. Using the knowledge graph as base content,
their system can generate three different narratives: a causality
tree for visual learners, a set of hierarchical notes for read/write
learners, and an audio version for the auditory learners.
2. Simulcast multiple narratives: This proposed use case is
targeted toward meetings that have a significant number of
participants with diverse learning styles (e.g., all-hands
meetings). Participants are automatically sent to breakout rooms
aligned with their learning preferences. The core presentation is
simulcast in multiple narratives using AI. For example: For the
read/write learner, the system would generate additional written
explanations that participants can refer to during or after the
presentation. Likewise, for the visual learner, the system would
share visual content like presentation roadmaps, infographics,
color coding, etc. For kinesthetic learners, the system would
make interactive exercises available in the sidebar.
3. Diversity alerts: This proposed use case is focused on ensuring
content and facilitation align with audience diversity. Visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic learners have historically experienced
challenges in engaging with meeting content (which tends to
favor read/write learners). Generative AI will monitor meetings to
ensure that the content and facilitation match the diversity of the
audience, similar to how aforementioned videoconferencing
systems are learning to adjust content to stop bias. It will provide
real-time feedback if it detects misalignment. This feature will be
extremely valuable in complex projects where cross-functional
 alignment is crucial. Lawyers are typically read/write learners,
engineers are kinesthetic, and marketing people are visual.
Adapting meetings to multiple learning styles will enable greater
cross-functional alignment.
Use cases to align meetings to purpose
4. Experts-on-demand: This proposed use case will enable teams
to discover and utilize experts and frameworks for different
meeting types through a marketplace. Each meeting type
(decision-making, innovating, coordinating, etc.) has its unique
structure, agenda, and facilitation playbook. Typically, teams
commission expert facilitators to access this expertise. The
generative AI-powered meeting systems will make it possible for
a team to adopt such frameworks without an in-person expert
facilitator. Organizations can license the best available
framework for each meeting type and make it available to the
teams via the meeting software.
5. Real-time game board: This use case provides teams with real-
time feedback during meetings by analyzing the live stream of
meeting video and audio. Advanced video-conferencing systems
will soon have the ability to parse a live stream of meeting video
and audio and dynamically score the meeting on attributes of
engagement, learning, and team environment. These metrics
along with benchmarks will be shared with the team in real time,
as well as for postmortems, and they can be used to encourage
meeting leaders to improve future calls.
6. Standout moments: This use case allows generative AI to
automatically detect and capture standout moments from audio
and video feeds of meetings. One feature video conferencing
vendors are currently experimenting with is the ability to auto-
detect the best moments of a meeting and make it available for
subsequent distribution and discovery. Think of it as the
equivalent of video highlights of a basketball game. Standout
moments can be a great tool for team reflection as well as for
sharing best practices.
Use cases to detect and prevent bias
7. Bias interruption: As we discussed in a previous section, this
proposed use case focuses on leveraging generative AI to detect
and address biases in real time during meetings. Once an
incident is detected, the software can be trained to respond
based on the severity of the bias. It can either raise a warning in
the chat window or, if necessary, interrupt the meeting
altogether. Additionally, the systems can be further trained to
facilitate remediation strategies, such as perspective-taking and
stereotype-countering. By proactively addressing biases, this use
case aims to create a more inclusive and equitable meeting
environment.
8. Self-awareness: This proposed use case focuses on providing
leaders with comprehensive reports to increase their awareness
of potential biases. These reports use direct quotes from the
meeting or video clips to illustrate specific instances. The goal is
not to shame or criticize but to facilitate reflection and self-
correction. By offering insights into biases that may have
unintentionally surfaced, leaders can engage in meaningful self-
reflection as well as monitor their progress over time. This use
case aims to empower leaders to proactively address their biases
and foster a more inclusive leadership approach.
9. Advance warning system: This use case aims to provide HR
departments with early detection and escalation reports on bias-
related incidents. The HR department cannot attend all
meetings. By analyzing meeting data, including spoken words,
and observed behaviors, generative AI can identify potential hot
spots where biases may be present. Although generative AI can
produce analytics tp help you run a better meeting, no company
offers escalation reports, which can serve as an early warning
signal, alerting HR to areas that require attention and
intervention. This use case empowers HR to take prompt action
and ensure a more inclusive and respectful work environment.
 Use cases to promote collective and individual learning
10. Real-time discovery: This use case showcases the power of AI
in enhancing meeting conversations through dynamic
information retrieval. Meeting software powered by generative AI
actively listens to dialogue and proactively provides relevant
information in the chat window. For instance, one source of
confusion in meetings is how people use certain key terms like
capacity, productivity, etc. Meeting software powered by
generative AI can retrieve and present the organization’s
standardized definitions, reducing confusion and ensuring
clarity. Moreover, it can intelligently pull in contextual resources,
such as video clips of the CEO’s address, to enrich discussions
and provide valuable insights. This proposed use case empowers
participants with real-time, context-specific information,
fostering more productive and efficient meetings.
11. Personal coach: This proposed use case is about supporting
individual development goals using observed behaviors in
meetings. Personally, I use meetings as a barometer to gauge
progress on my personal development goals. How am I doing in
handling difficult conversations? Am I able to display empathy
even when I do not feel understood? Participants would be able
to assess their progress in areas such as handling difficult
conversations and displaying empathy. The system would provide
tailored recommendations based on individual development
goals and learning styles.
12. Team health barometer: This proposed use case highlights the
transformative impact of AI in measuring and proactively
addressing team dynamics. Although videoconferencing
analytics exist, most focus on observing presenters, not the
people to whom they’re presenting. This will change soon. They
say people come to work for your employment brand and leave
due to the team environment. It is quite daunting for any HR
function to measure the health of each team and intervene
proactively. For larger or project-based organizations, the
complexity of managing team dynamics becomes even more
 challenging. Meetings are a great source of insights into team
health. Using audio and video analytics, advanced generative AI
systems can serve as a reliable source of input to the team and
HR, allowing proactive interventions to maintain a healthy team
environment.
Generative AI will forever change the way meetings are
conducted. In the near future, meetings will offer personalized
content and purpose-driven expertise, while also serving as
guardians against bias and promoting active learning. As AI
continues to advance, every meeting holds the promise of being
productive, efficient, and influential, unlocking infinite
possibilities for teams and organizations.

DB
Dash Bibhudatta is the founder of Infinite
Possibilities.

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