From Meeting Summaries to Predictive Insights: How AI Is Transforming Work

The workplace has been in constant flux over the last few years, with hybrid work models and digital tools redefining how employees collaborate. Now, predictive and generative AI technologies are accelerating that transformation, helping to remove low-level tasks, boost productivity, and create more personalized employee experiences.

A recent eBook from Zoom, AI and the Digital Workplace, highlights how leaders can use AI to improve the digital employee experience and drive business outcomes — without losing the human touch.

Enhancing, Not Replacing, Human Interaction

One of the key takeaways is that AI should not be viewed as a replacement for human interaction, but rather as an enhancement. “Anytime you can tell an employee or customer, ‘I know who you are and I know what matters to you,’ you’re deepening the relationship,” said David Strickland, VP of telehealth and care at home technology at Kaiser Permanente.

Zoom CIO Casey Santos explained how AI features are already improving productivity: “When I couldn’t attend a meeting recently, our AI summary feature helped me stay on top of what I needed to do. Zoom’s meeting summary sent me a quick recap of the topics covered and an action item I was able to complete within minutes.”

Generative AI can also personalize training and content at scale. “AI can allow me to personalize content like never before based on who you are, what you do, where you’ve been, and where you’re going in an organization,” said Jason Averbook, senior partner and global leader of digital HR strategy at Mercer.

Changefulness and Minimum Lovable Products

AI adoption requires “changefulness” — a mindset open to experimentation and continuous learning. According to Averbook, companies that block or restrict AI tools risk falling behind. “Phase one has to work. It has to be minimum lovable, not minimum viable, because our audience has expectations unlike they’ve ever had before,” he said.

This means organizations should focus on high-impact use cases and roll out AI tools that deliver a positive first experience, encouraging trust and adoption among employees.

AI in Hybrid Work and Meetings

Hybrid work presents new challenges for collaboration, especially in meetings. Generative AI can reduce distractions by automatically transcribing discussions, enabling employees to stay engaged and contribute meaningfully. “People go to meetings to solve problems,” said Zoom Chief Transformation Officer Xuedong (XD) Huang. “Our AI Companion can take notes for you, identify speakers or clarify what was said in the moment.”

AI can also remove language barriers, with real-time translated captions and chat translations making it easier for global teams to work together.

Global and Asynchronous Collaboration

Zoom’s own teams, spread across continents, use tools like Zoom Team Chat, Clips, and Workvivo to collaborate asynchronously. This enables them to work effectively without forcing late-night or early-morning meetings. “Clips isn’t a meeting replacement but more of an accompaniment to keep momentum going,” said Laura, a content designer at Zoom.

Translation tools are another game-changer for distributed teams. “Team Chat’s translation feature is helpful for my team. It’s quite easy to double-check the meaning of a message when we have doubts,” said Kendall, manager of product design.

Predictive AI’s Broader Impact

Beyond workplace collaboration, predictive AI is transforming decision-making across industries. Economist and Prediction Machines co-author Ajay Agrawal explains that AI lowers the cost of prediction, allowing organizations to use it more frequently. From fraud detection to medical imaging, predictive AI is enhancing productivity and leveling the playing field for lower-skilled workers.

In call centers, for example, AI tools can guide employees in real time, helping them reach the performance level of top-tier agents. Similarly, navigational AI has enabled millions to work as drivers for companies like Uber, regardless of their prior local knowledge.

Agrawal predicts that AI will soon move beyond the screen into the physical world — with robots capable of executing tasks like making coffee or conducting scientific experiments.

Closing the Gap Between Leaders and Employees

Zoom’s survey with Morning Consult found that 82% of leaders are excited about AI, compared to just 57% of employees. While leaders see benefits such as time savings and improved collaboration, employees express concerns over job loss, data security, and accuracy.

This adoption gap underscores the need for clear communication and training. Educating employees on how AI can support — rather than replace — their work will be crucial for widespread adoption.

The Road Ahead

As the eBook concludes, the future of work lies in using AI to “enhance human interaction, personalize experiences, meet employees’ needs with user-friendly language, focus on impactful solutions, and free workers to focus on higher-level tasks.”

AI will continue to evolve, expanding into areas we can only speculate about today. For organizations ready to embrace it, the potential to improve productivity, collaboration, and employee engagement is enormous — but only if they keep people at the heart of the transformation.