When a Washington Post reporter logged into a Zoom interview recently, the only other attendee was an AI bot. After nine awkward minutes of talking to the silent digital note taker, she gave up and left.
These AI assistants are invading virtual workspaces in such numbers that they sometimes outnumber humans. At a recent Zoom call, content agency owner Clifton Sellers counted ten AI note-takers and just six humans. The bots silently record everything, create transcripts, and summarize meetings for the humans who couldn't — or wouldn't — attend themselves.
The trend has created bizarre new etiquette problems. Some AI tools lurk invisibly, recording without appearing as participants. At a recent conference where attendees signed NDAs, someone recorded anyway using Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses. In another cringeworthy moment, business adviser Liz Henderson was mortified when her private meeting transcript was suddenly displayed to hundreds of colleagues during an all-hands demonstration of AI technology.
Zoom's CEO Eric Yuan envisions a future where AI "digital twins" won't just take notes — they'll actively participate in meetings on behalf of absent humans.
Some experts are pushing back. "When there's an overwhelming abundance of information, there's a loss of meaning," warns Neal Shah, CEO of CareYaya. And Open Machine CEO Allie K. Miller warns: "We're moving into a world where nothing will be forgotten."
Previously:
• Maine police caught lying about using AI to alter drug bust photo
