To Bot or Not: Why Blocking AI Meeting Tools Isn't the Answer
Meeting hosts, here's what you can do instead
TL:DR: Blanket bans on AI meeting tools might seem like a safe choice, but they can unintentionally exclude participants who rely on these tools for full engagement. Instead of banning bots, meeting hosts can take control by implementing their own AI documentation tools, creating a secure and inclusive environment that enhances participation while protecting privacy. Discover how this shift in approach not only solves the "random bot" problem but unlocks new possibilities for making meetings more productive and accessible for everyone.
Have you ever been waiting for someone to show up for a meeting only to have their notetaking bot appear in the virtual meeting room? Or, have you been sent a message that your bot was in a meeting, but you weren’t? Or worse, been in a meeting of mostly…bots? Yikes! Digital meeting etiquette aside, the response to these annoying and potentially off-putting events isn’t to ban bots. It’s an opportunity to ask what we might be missing about our meeting processes and how we can leverage these tools to get more out of our meetings.
I’ve been in several meetings recently where there’s been a blanket ban on AI notetaking tools. I get it 100%. When those tools are present, you don’t have control over them. But, I think there’s a middle ground and that meeting hosts have an obligation to leverage these tools as part of meeting best practices.
If you rely on AI for note-taking or fully present meeting participation, you know this blanket approach can create more problems than it solves. The impulse to ban AI meeting tools often comes from valid privacy concerns, but it's time to have a more nuanced conversation about inclusion, accessibility, and how we can leverage these tools responsibly. Moreover, if you get intentional about using these tools, you might be surprised at how generative AI can help you do some very innovative things with those simple transcripts.
The Hidden Costs of Blanket Bans
I've experienced firsthand how restrictive bot bans can impact participation. As someone who struggles to take notes while staying present in discussions, being told I can't use AI note-taking tools means I'm constantly splitting my attention. It's not just about convenience – it's about having equal access to participate fully in meetings. And it’s not just participation in the moment. Not having a record of the meeting that I can refer back to (aside from my incomplete notes that trailed off partway through the meeting) means my future work on tasks might stall as I wait for clarification or spend time parsing out my notes to remember what was discussed.
These bans often stem from legitimate concerns about privacy and data security. And given that we don’t fully understand and can’t predict the shape of AI and how that data could be used, these concerns are completely valid. Organizations worry about meeting content being shared inappropriately or ending up in unexpected places. But by implementing blanket bans without discussion, we're throwing out powerful tools that could make our meetings more inclusive and productive.
Rethinking Meeting Documentation for Everyone
Instead of banning bots outright, what if we shifted responsibility to meeting hosts? I recently did this in a community of practice that I’m facilitating as an experiment. I learned quite a bit! Here's why I think this approach makes more sense:
1. Clear Ownership and Control
When hosts take charge of AI documentation, they can:
Set clear guidelines about how meeting content will be captured and shared
Ensure consistent privacy protocols
Maintain control over sensitive information
Provide equal access to meeting documentation for all participants
If you regularly host meetings, consider identifying one tool you’d like to experiment with. (Chances are, if you’re in an organization, there is already a recording feature built into your platforms.) Get to know its privacy policy and terms of service (you can even use AI to help you make sense of it!) so that you can speak to how data is handled. Frame it as an experiment and ensure everyone is cool with you trying it out. Make sure you’re trying it out in a meeting type that is best suited for the experiment (i.e. not a sensitive topic). Be clear about what you’ll do with the transcript afterward, share your process, and ask for feedback.
2. Enhanced Accessibility and Inclusion
Host-managed AI tools can:
Support participants who need note-taking assistance
Provide multiple ways to engage with meeting content
Enable fuller participation from everyone present
Create a more equitable meeting environment
As the host, you can happily kick out all of those bots in the waiting room, knowing that you’ve got your own bot present under your control, and you’ll still be meeting the needs of your attendees who sent the bots in the first place. And who knows how many people coming to your meeting don’t feel comfortable asking about bringing their bot or who might not even know how much they can benefit from having a bot notetaker? Now, you get to show them the potential without relegating control of your meeting.
3. Unlocked Potential
This is perhaps the true hidden gem of what could be possible if we let ourselves experiment with bots. AI transcripts offer possibilities beyond basic note-taking such as:
Identify gaps in conversations
Highlight unclear points that need follow-up
Track action items more effectively
Generate insights for future meeting planning
Once you’ve got that transcript, the possibilities are pretty endless. Sure, you could save it in a folder or share it with the group, and no one will look at it again. Or, you could play with the transcript in your favorite GenAI tool, asking the AI to reflect on gaps in the conversation, help plan the next meeting agenda, or even create personalized action steps (more on that, soon!).
Making the Shift: Starting Small
Have I convinced you that bots aren’t all bad? Ready to move beyond bot bans? Here are some micro-moves to get started:
1. Experiment Privately First
Try recording your next internal team meeting (with permission). Notice how different it feels to participate fully without taking notes. Use this experience to build your confidence with the tools. What worked, what didn’t? What feedback did you get? Did your team notice the bot and hold back? Or, did they not care?
2. Develop Clear Protocols
Create simple guidelines for:
How recordings will be used (for me, it’s to only generate a transcript, then deleted)
Who will have access to transcripts (I often say no one but me)
How long documentation will be kept (I have a process of deidentifying transcripts and saving them securely and deleting the prior versions)
What will be done with the AI-generated insights (I’ve been transparently sharing my experiments, including the prompts, and asking for feedback)
Share this documentation and be willing to seek feedback and revise it as needed
3. Communicate Transparently
Include your AI documentation plan in meeting invites — feel free to say you won’t allow bots in the meeting because you’ll have your own bot there. And then tell folks about your amazing plan for what you’ll do with it.
Explain how you'll protect sensitive information. Reassure attendees and always allow an opt-out or the opportunity to pause the bot or find a different meeting to experiment with.
Share how participants can access meeting notes. If you won’t be sharing the raw transcript, be clear about what you will share. Or, if you’re ok sharing the raw transcript, ask your colleagues to experiment with it, too. You might be surprised with what ideas this generates.
Be open to feedback and adjustments. If the bot is altering participation, then it might not be the right place to experiment. What can you do to adjust? Modeling feedback seeking and adjusting is one of those critical leadership practices and this bot experiment can give you an opportunity to learn in real time. You’ve got this.
4. Start with Low-Stakes Meetings
Begin with regular team meetings where trust is already established. Use these as opportunities to refine your approach before implementing in more sensitive contexts.
The Path Forward
The future of meeting documentation isn't about choosing between security and accessibility – it's about finding ways to provide both. By taking responsibility for AI integration at the host level, we can create meeting environments that are both secure and inclusive. We also model experimentation with AI, and we offer our teams a chance to innovate together.
Your Turn
Ready to rethink your approach to AI meeting tools? Start with this simple experiment: Record your next team meeting (with permission, of course). Pay attention to how it feels to be fully present without taking notes. Then, explore what the transcript offers beyond just documentation. What patterns do you notice? What possibilities open up?
Share your experience in the comments below or connect with me on LinkedIn. Let's learn together how to create more inclusive meeting spaces that work for everyone.