Let’s face it, not many of us feel that confident over our business English writing skills. Nor do we particularly enjoy the task of extracting the critical content from lengthy meetings. Minute takers whose first language is not necessarily English or any individual who is recording minutes of meetings where unfamiliar content is being discussed experience even greater challenges.
Enter ChatGPT. At first glances, the solution to all our problems. Or is it?
Large Language Models and Minute Taking
Well, AI models such as ChatGBT could most certainly dramatically simplify the role of a minute taker by not only producing grammatically sound and delectable corporate styled wording, but even by transcribing the actual minutes with a built in transcription plug-in.
Sounds too good to be true? Well there are pros and cons. And the cons unfortunately at this stage need to be taken very seriously by organisations.
Struggle with business English? Well ChatGPT can help the minute taker maintain a consistent style and tone throughout the minutes. It can provide guidance on using formal language, adjusting the level of formality, or suggesting specific phrases commonly used in business settings. This sounds fantastic, but considering the security risk we shall describe shortly, you might want to stick with Grammerly.
ChatGPT can provide synonyms or alternative word choices to enhance the richness and precision of the minute taker’s language. This feature helps to expand the vocabulary and select appropriate business terms or expressions. One suggestion to use ChatGBT in a secure way is to limit uploads of content that does not contain confidential information, but perhaps only a select trusted user group should therefore be granted permissions as discretion is mandatory.
AI Transcription with Speech to Text
Like Otter.ai, ChatGPT can transcribe minutes of meetings, provided a speech-to-text plug-in has been installed. Participants can speak during the meeting, and the AI will transcribe their speech into text in real-time. The minute takers role is never going to be replaced though as must still review and edit the AI-generated transcript afterwards to ensure accuracy, correct those annoying instances where our diverse accents are mistranslated and isolate and format the content into the correct template according to organisational and compliance requirements.
Whilst we are unclear as to how expansive ChatGPT’s translation abilities may be in regions such as Southern Africa, our international clients might appreciate that ChatGPT can provide translation services, allowing the minute taker to understand and document discussions accurately. This feature can help overcome language barriers in minuting multilingual meetings. However a very important disclaimer needs to be made and that is the developers of ChatGBT are aware that the AI is often guilty of providing incorrect information, so the question arises can we really trust translated data let alone trust an AI to capture the nuances that a human translator would not miss.
ChatGBT could improve the quality of your minutes though. After the minutes are drafted, ChatGPT can review the document and identify potential errors or inconsistencies. It can highlight spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or suggest revisions for improved clarity and coherence.
Once the meeting is concluded, ChatGPT can generate detailed summaries or reports based on the minutes. These summaries can include highlights, decisions, and action items, making it easier for stakeholders to review the key outcomes without going through the entire document.
While ChatGPT can assist in the minute-taking process, it is important to note that it is still an AI language model and may not be suitable for taking minutes of a formal meeting on its own. However, it can be used in conjunction with human minute takers to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the process.
It’s important to note that while ChatGPT can be helpful in providing language suggestions, it is an AI language model and may not always generate perfect or contextually appropriate recommendations. Therefore, it’s essential for the minute taker to review and apply the suggestions with their own judgment and knowledge of the specific business context. Human expertise and knowledge remain crucial for accurate and effective minute-taking. Critical thinking and decision-making skills are not going to be replaced by AI, and if we lean on a transcription or AI model to compile our minutes, our content is likely to contain information that is superfluous and even worse, potentially defamatory.
Artificial Intelligence – Ensuring your Minutes are Private
The most alarming concern is any organisation corporate should think twice before uploading confidential information into ChatGPT or any AI model. While efforts are made to protect data privacy, there is always a risk of unauthorised access or potential breaches. It is advisable to ensure data encryption, adhere to security protocols, and consider the sensitivity of the information before sharing it with any AI model. In other words, your data is not safe at this early stage of release of this technology and decision makers must be cognisant of the risks before permitting any company data, whether for transcription or editing, into an AI model at this time.
What does the future hold for minute takers? One area where human minute takers excel in comparison to any AI counterparts are in their adaptability and critical thinking skills. They can adjust their note-taking style, prioritise information, and discern the significance of discussions based on the organisational context. ChatGPT, on the other hand, relies on pre-programmed algorithms and may struggle to interpret non-verbal cues, emotions, or subtle implications. Human minute takers possess the ability to understand the unspoken, navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, and make informed decisions regarding what to include or exclude from the minutes.
Human Understand is Critical for Meaningful Minutes
Your organisation’s minute takers are familiar with industry-specific jargon, internal processes, and compliance requirements. Human minute takers can exercise judgment, discern nuances, and capture essential details that an AI model might overlook. They also possess the experience to identify sensitive information that should not be recorded or shared. These qualities ensure the accuracy, confidentiality, and legal compliance of the minutes, which are vital for maintaining the integrity of corporate or public institution’s records.
As this technology continues to evolve, no doubt the security concerns can be addressed and in time, we anticipate AI models such as ChatGBT will be successfully deployed in business environments. While the capabilities of AI are impressive, it is essential to recognize that it can only augment rather than replace the critical function of a professional minute taker, and the need for well trained, skilled minute takers will remain.
For more information about our minute taking training services please contact us to find out more.
