Google Meet tests features that can even replace you in online meetings

These new features will be made available on Google Labs in the coming months before rolling out to the general public.

September 18, 2023

Google's artificial intelligence will help you remember the details of your meeting
Photo: Google

The upcoming months at Google Labs are set to witness the implementation of an impressive AI tool before its widespread release. The recent Cloud Next conference hosted by Google on Tuesday (aug. 29) shed light on a new horizon for virtual meetings. With significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Google Meet is on the verge of revolutionizing how we interact and participate in online gatherings.

The introduction of Duet AI introduces a feature that could forever change the dynamics of meetings, offering real-time note-taking and automatic updates that promise to enhance engagement and productivity.

The “take notes for me” tool will allow the app to capture a summary and action items during the meeting. If you join late, Google could provide an intermediate summary of the meeting so you can catch up on what happened.

These new features will be made available on Google Labs in the coming months before rolling out to the general public.

Here's how it's going to work: To begin, users can tap the new button (a pen with a glow) in the upper-right corner of the web interface. They will then receive prompts like “Summary so far” – handy if you're joining halfway through – and “Action items,” with the ability to pause the note-taking at any time.

Subsequently, these notes can be saved in Google Docs and sent as a summary to participants after the meeting concludes.

In case you can't attend, there's the option to use “Attend for me,” where Duet AI takes notes during a meeting.

To set up the configuration, users need to accept an invitation from Google Calendar, where they will see a new AI button next to the default Yes/No. There's also the option to add a note, which can even be written with “Help me write” and will be displayed to participants during the meeting.

Additionally, there are automatically translated captions for 18 languages, with Google automatically detecting “when another language is spoken” and overlaying real-time translations.

Check Google Meet website