The human elements lost in perfect transcripts

In school we learned to take notes we could depend on for studying for exams. In best of worlds they were comprehensive, capturing key facts and concepts that would be tested later. In worst of worlds they was just a indication on which page number in the books that you should read.

In meetings we learned to take notes for what was being said and what was being decided upon. The focus is on action items, ownership and deadlines.

AI note taking and transcripts are changing meeting notes into something more like school notes. “You actually said this, there is a record of it.” This brings accountability but loses something important.

What’s missing in these perfect transcripts is the context and human feeling around the meetings. The energy in the room when an idea was proposed. The hesitation before someone agreed. The enthusiasm that can’t be captured in words alone.

Different contexts require different note-taking strategies. The key is recognizing what each approach captures and what it leaves out.