AI Notetakers Replacing Humans? The Meeting Just Got Weird

Brenda Crist

AI notetakers are everywhere now. They join your meetings, take diligent notes, and sometimes even send summaries faster than you can say “synergy.” But lately, a strange new trend has emerged: the AI notetaker appears—but the human doesn’t.

It’s become a modern workplace mystery: a calendar invite is accepted, the meeting starts, the camera is off, and there it is— “[Name]’s AI notetaker has joined the meeting.” The person? Ghosted. The bot? Right on time.

Let’s explore the growing trend of AI-powered notetakers attending meetings solo and what it means for collaboration, proposals, and professional presence in the age of automation.

Five Things to Do When You’ve Been Ghosted and Left with an AI Notetaker

When someone sends their AI notetaker to a meeting instead of attending themselves, here are five ways to handle it:

  1. Ask the AI notetaker to lead the meeting. “Welcome, Fireflies. Can you walk us through the past performance matrix?” Let’s see what it says when faced with actual decision-making.
  2. Speak clearly—AI notetakers capture everything. AI notetakers are known for their accuracy and their lack of discretion. Side comments, sarcastic remarks, and office gossip? All immortalized in the summary.
  3. Use “decision” words intentionally. AI notetakers love action items. If you say “Decision: We’ll prime…” or “Action: Rewrite Volume 2…,” the AI notetaker will flag it. Use that to your advantage.
  4. Don’t expect empathy from an AI notetaker: They take notes, not sides. If a strategy discussion goes sideways, the AI notetaker won’t defend you, but it will quote you.
  5. Send a follow-up… to the human. “Thanks for sending your AI notetaker. It captured the words. We still need your input.”

The Best AI Notetakers in the Market Today

If you’re going to send an AI notetaker in your place, ensure it’s one of the best. Here are some leading AI notetaker tools used by proposal and capture teams:

  • Otter.ai: Otter captures real-time transcription, creates searchable transcripts, and identifies speakers across various platforms, including Zoom and Google Meet.
  • Fireflies.ai: This AI notetaker analyzes conversations, flags action items, and integrates with CRMs and productivity tools.
  • Fathom: Fathom’s AI notetaker highlights key moments and lets you create instant video snippets of important discussion points—great for proposal reviews.
  • Avoma: Known as a smart AI notetaker and meeting assistant, Avoma provides summaries, follow-ups, and conversation scoring. It’s ideal for sales calls.
  • Sembly AI: This AI notetaker focuses on decisions and outcomes. It tracks who said what, which can be a lifesaver in fast-paced strategy or pricing meetings.
  • Zoom AI Companion & Microsoft Teams Recap: These built-in AI notetakers provide summaries, timelines, and auto-generated chapters for easier playback.

Conclusion: AI Notetakers Can’t Replace You—Especially in Proposals

AI notetakers are excellent at capturing what was said, but they can’t capture why it matters. In proposal development, where strategy and customer-centricity are essential, your voice and presence make you irreplaceable. Many teams now use AI notetakers alongside GenAI writing tools, but without human insight, we see a troubling trend: proposals that sound like AI-generated filler. Polished, sure—but without human interest, empathy, or creativity. If you would like to learn more about effectively using AI/generative AI (GenAI) in proposals, please contact Lohfeld Consulting.

Relevant Information

By Brenda Crist, Vice President at Lohfeld Consulting Group, MPA, CPP APMP Fellow

Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals. As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $170B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedInFacebook, and YouTube(TM).