Google Gemini can significantly streamline the process of creating meeting minutes or summaries from your Google Meet sessions, primarily by leveraging the meeting recording and transcription features.

How Gemini Assists with Meeting Minute Generation: #

(Note: The availability and specific implementation of these features depend on your Google Workspace edition and any Gemini for Google Workspace add-ons.)

1. Prerequisites: Recording and Transcription
   • To get the most out of Gemini for minute generation, the Google Meet session should ideally be **recorded**.
   • When recording is enabled, Google Meet can also generate a **transcription** of the audio. This transcript is a key data source for Gemini.
   • The meeting host or organiser typically needs to start the recording during the meeting. Ensure participants are aware and consent if required.
2. Automatic Summaries (Common Feature):
   • For many Workspace editions with Gemini enabled, after a recorded and transcribed meeting ends, Google Meet may automatically generate a meeting summary.
   • This summary often includes:
     • Key topics discussed.
     • Action items identified (Gemini attempts to recognise these from the conversation).
     • Key decisions made.
3. Requesting Summaries or Specific Information via Gemini:
   • If an automatic summary isn’t generated, or if you need more specific information, you can often use Gemini with the meeting transcript (which is a Google Doc).
   • Open the transcript document in Google Docs.
   • Use the Gemini side panel (sparkle icon ✨) to ask specific questions or request summaries:
     • “Summarise this meeting transcript.”
     • “Identify all action items from this meeting and who they are assigned to.”
     • “What were the main decisions reached in this meeting?”
     • “Extract all questions asked by [Participant Name] during this meeting.”
4. Refining Gemini’s Output:
   • The minutes or summary generated by Gemini provide a strong first draft.
   • It’s crucial to review this draft for accuracy, completeness, and context. You may need to:
     • Edit phrasing for clarity.
     • Add any nuanced points that the AI might have missed.
     • Correct any misattributed speakers or action items.
     • Format the document according to your organisation’s standards for meeting minutes.

Where Meeting Recordings, Transcripts, and Gemini-Generated Minutes are Saved: #

• Meeting Recordings & Transcripts:
  • These are automatically saved to the Google Drive of the **meeting organiser** (the person who created the Google Calendar event or initiated the meeting).
  • They are typically placed in a folder named **”Meet Recordings”** within the organiser’s My Drive.
  • A link to the recording and transcript is also often automatically added to the Google Calendar event for the meeting, making it accessible to attendees (depending on sharing settings).
  • Attendees usually receive an email with links to the recording/transcript once they are processed and ready.
• Gemini-Generated Summaries/Minutes:
  • If Gemini automatically generates a summary document, it’s also typically saved in the meeting organiser’s Google Drive, often in the same “Meet Recordings” folder or linked from the Calendar event.
  • If you use the Gemini side panel in Google Docs to refine or generate minutes from a transcript, you are working within that Google Doc, which is itself stored in Google Drive (likely the “Meet Recordings” folder if it’s the transcript, or wherever you’ve saved your working copy of the minutes).

Best Practices: #

• Announce Recording: Always inform participants at the beginning of a meeting if it is being recorded and transcribed.
• Clear Speaking: Encourage clear speech and participants identifying themselves when speaking, especially in larger meetings, to improve transcript accuracy.
• Review and Approve: Treat AI-generated minutes as a draft. They should be reviewed, edited if necessary, and formally approved or circulated according to your organisation’s procedures.

Using Gemini can significantly reduce the time spent on manually creating meeting minutes, allowing teams to focus more on the outcomes and actions from their discussions.