On July 31, 2024, Simon Mokorel from the Regional Development Agency of North Primorska conducted a detailed online seminar titled "Enhancing Meetings with AI Tools," specifically for academic staff. The seminar focused on how integrating artificial intelligence can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of meetings in academic settings.

Key Takeaways:

Addressing Meeting Challenges: The seminar opened with an examination of the significance of effective meetings and the frequent challenges that undermine productivity, such as inefficiency, disengagement, and unclear agendas. The session highlighted the substantial time and costs associated with ineffective meetings, underscoring the necessity for enhanced productivity strategies.

AI Tools for Meetings: Participants were introduced to various AI applications designed to transform meeting management. AI assistants like ChatGPT were demonstrated for their ability to draft agendas, take notes, and manage action items, thereby reducing manual workload and improving efficiency. The seminar also showcased AI's capabilities in automatically transcribing and summarizing meetings, ensuring accurate records and effective communication of key points.

Enhancing Meetings with AI: Practical demonstrations highlighted AI-powered solutions for meetings. Tools for AI-driven agenda creation were shown to help formulate detailed and structured agendas, maintaining focus throughout meetings. Real-time transcription and translation features from tools like Otter.ai and Microsoft Teams were presented, making meetings more accessible and inclusive. A live demonstration of READ.ai illustrated how AI can be seamlessly integrated into meeting workflows, improving note-taking and ensuring that no important details are missed.

Interactive Q&A Session: The seminar concluded with an interactive Q&A session, offering participants the opportunity to ask questions and share their perspectives. This segment provided valuable feedback and insights into how AI tools could be adapted to meet the unique needs of academic environments.

Conclusion

The seminar underscored the benefits of employing AI tools to enhance meeting productivity by addressing challenges related to time management, engagement, and follow-up. Through practical demonstrations and examples, the seminar demonstrated how these tools can significantly improve meeting efficiency and effectiveness for academic staff.