Meeting minutes have long been seen as a necessary evil by many. It’s a task that often falls through the cracks because “no one had time to write it down,” or because “it was just a short meeting.” But technology has now advanced to the point where there’s really no good excuse to skip it.
Most meetings today happen with the click of a button – whether physically in a meeting room with a camera and microphone, or digitally via Teams, Zoom, Meet, and the like. So why are we still relying on human hands and brains to write minutes when we literally have the technology right in front of us?
TPress “Record,” Get Minutes
Imagine this: You start the meeting, press “record,” and after the meeting, you receive a fully structured summary. Who said what, what decisions were made, and who was assigned which tasks.
This isn’t science fiction anymore. Several platforms already offer automatic transcription and meeting notes, and some AI tools are beginning to actually understand the context of what’s being said and what needs to be captured.
Tools like Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, and Fathom can connect directly to Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet and generate meeting minutes with sections like:
- Participants
- Discussion topics
- Decisions
- Actions and responsibilities
If you’re using Microsoft Teams with Copilot, you even get AI-generated summaries and meeting minutes directly in the meeting chat – fully automatic. And Google is close behind with its version: Duet AI for Google Meet.
It’s not perfect yet, but it’s already more than good enough for most needs – and certainly better than having no minutes at all.
A Golden Opportunity for Entrepreneurs and Providers
If you have a smart platform with a recording function, you’re sitting on an untapped goldmine.
AI-assisted meeting notes directly from recordings – structured, understandable, and ready for distribution – can be a sales argument strong enough to carry an entire business.
Not to mention how much time and frustration it saves.
How many times have you been in a meeting where everyone agreed on what was said… until the following week?
It’s well known that most meeting minutes are never actually read, which is why many consider them a waste of time. But it’s a bit like insurance, documentation, and IT contingency planning: you don’t miss it until you really need it.
The DIY Option: Voice Recorder + AI
Not all meetings happen in a room with cameras, microphones, and videoconferencing platforms.
Many of the most important conversations actually happen spontaneously – around the lunch table, in the office, or at client sites. And in those cases, you need a more analog solution with digital potential.
Enter the trusty old voice recorder.
Modern voice recorders have impressive sound quality, long battery life, and are designed specifically to capture speech – even in larger rooms with multiple people.
They are much better than a phone at picking up nuances in conversation, especially when someone mumbles or sits further away.
That said, modern smartphones have improved significantly. Many newer models have excellent microphones, and if you place your phone on the table between participants, it can do a surprisingly good job – particularly in small meeting rooms or one-on-one conversations.
After the meeting, you can upload the recording to a transcription service like Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, Whisper, or similar. Then, you can use an AI tool, like ChatGPT, Notion AI, or Sembly, to extract the key points and structure the minutes.
It’s a bit more manual than using a fully integrated platform, but still much faster and more accurate than writing everything yourself – especially after three cups of coffee and 17 Teams meetings on a Monday.
The Benefits? The Same – But Easier to Achieve
With AI and smart recording solutions, you still get all the classic advantages of good meeting minutes:
- Documentation of what was actually said
- Clarity on responsibilities and follow-up
- Better communication and fewer misunderstandings
- A historical record to rely on
You no longer have to sacrifice your lunch break or hunt for volunteers to “take the minutes this time too.”
Now, you can stay fully present in the meeting – and let technology handle the notetaking.
What Does the Law Say About Recording Meetings?
In Norway, it is fully legal to record conversations and meetings as long as you are participating in the conversation yourself. You do not need permission if you are part of the meeting.
BUT: If you are not participating – for example, if you leave a phone behind to record a meeting you are not attending – it is illegal and can be punishable under the Norwegian Penal Code § 205.
Important:
Laws regarding recording meetings vary significantly from country to country. In some jurisdictions, you must obtain consent from all participants before recording a conversation, even if you are part of it. In others, recording without consent can lead to severe legal consequences.
Tip:
Even when recording is legally permitted, it’s good practice to inform all participants that the meeting is being recorded – especially in professional settings. It’s about building trust and maintaining transparency.
Privacy:
If the recording contains personal data, you must also ensure that the file is handled in compliance with privacy regulations such as GDPR (in Europe) – particularly if it will be stored, shared, or analyzed using AI tools.
Before recording any meeting, it’s always wise to check the relevant laws in your country or region to ensure compliance.
Not New Technology – But Important to Use Wisely
It’s important to remember that recording and transcription are not revolutionary innovations.
The technology has been around for many years, although it’s only recently become more accessible and user-friendly.
The difference today is that the newest models and AI tools are so advanced that the quality is more than good enough for practical use. Many tools now understand context, extract decisions and responsibilities, and structure the minutes in ways that used to require a lot of manual effort.
Several Norwegian organizations are already using this technology safely. The University of Oslo (UiO), for example, has developed a solution for recording and transcription that is approved for use with so-called “yellow data” – information that requires an elevated level of protection.
For Mac users, there are also alternatives like JoJo, developed by VG, which may be a good option for those who want better control over where data is processed.
The point is: Don’t just think about transcription and convenience. You must also evaluate how the technology works, where the data is stored, who has access, and how the information might be used later.
Privacy must be part of your decision when choosing a tool.
What Matters Most?
The most important thing isn’t which method you use – it’s that you capture what was said. Meeting after meeting, valuable ideas are shared, decisions are made, and important insights are born. But without documentation, it all disappears as quickly as it came.
This is a perfect example of smart AI use – as support, not as a replacement. Many people fear that AI will replace jobs, but in this case, it’s not about removing people. It’s about freeing up time, reducing misunderstandings, and making follow-up easier.
AI is not the participant in the meeting. It’s the assistant that helps you remember what was said.
Technology now gives us the opportunity to preserve what actually matters – with minimal effort. So why not use it?
Welcome to the future. It takes the meeting minutes for you.
Read more about why you should take meeting minutes, or check out our tips on how to make meetings more effective.
