OPINION
can incentivise or even make meetings more engaging. Automation of follow-ups via AI assistants ensures accountability and execution. Eventually, the very construct of organisational hierarchy may need rethinking as human-AI collaboration matures. If AI agents can competently handle managerial duties or contribute equally to strategy, what distinguishes the boss? Younger generations already expect egalitarian and non-hierarchical relationships with their leaders meaning that existing norms around meetings may shift dramatically. Lastly, face-to-face human connection carries intangible benefits that technology cannot replicate. As long as organisations value relationship- building, bonding experiences, spontaneous conversations and meaningful presence, in-person meetings will retain purpose. However, their supplementation or outright replacement by AI now seems inevitable in some capacity. Workplace meetings are ripe for an AI makeover – we just need to ensure humans stay at the heart of any transformation.
organisation’s meetings could offer insights into optimal structures, best practices, productivity killers and wasted resources among other pointers. Historical meeting data remains an untapped resource. Combining speech recognition transcripts from past sessions with attendee feedback and outcomes, AI might guide us toward more effective meetings. Of course, tracking meetings at scale also introduces privacy concerns. Any tools would require thoughtful implementation regarding data access permissions and adequate participant consent. Microsoft’s infamous ‘productivity score’ fiasco demonstrated poor execution of employee monitoring tools. Transparency and giving users control are both imperative in the context of meeting analytics. AI promises to shake up today’s prevailing notions of teamwork. As this rapidly developing technology eliminates more routine tasks, the focus shifts to the value of human interaction and collaboration. This compels organisations to be more selective regarding the necessity of meetings since they no longer provide a convenient vehicle for task division. With less need for information distribution, thanks to knowledge management platforms, sharing ideas and making decisions, meetings will receive greater emphasis. Shaking up the organisational status quo Virtual and augmented reality technologies may also gain traction, simulating in-person interactions for remote employees or enabling elaborate presentation formats beyond PowerPoint. Gamification
Mark Minevich is the author of the award-winning book Our Planet Powered by AI, published by Wiley. He is a president and founding partner of Going Global Venture and a digital cognitive artificial intelligence strategist, expert and investor, as well as a UN advisor and advocate with expertise in AI. Minevich is also a co-founder and co-chair of AI for Planet Alliance with UN Agencies, a senior advisor to BootstrapLabs Venture Capital and an executive advisor to global data services company Artefact
Ambition | JUNE 2024 | 37
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