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If you’ve been using Google’s “Take notes for me” in Google Meet, you know how much of a game-changer it can be. Having an AI-created summary of your meeting delivered right to your inbox is one of those Workspace features that, once you start using it, is hard to live without.
For many, however, there are times when you want to make sure that note-taking is either definitely on or definitely off before you ever join a meeting. Google is now making that process a lot more transparent and controllable with a new update hitting Workspace accounts.
Control from the Green Room
The biggest change here is happening in the green room: a.k.a. that pre-join screen where you check your lighting and make sure your mic is working. With this update, if “Take notes for me” is enabled for a meeting, you’ll see a much more prominent notice letting you know that the AI is ready to go.
But more importantly, for those with the right Workspace tier, you can now actually toggle the feature off (or on) directly from that green room. Previously, you’d have to join the meeting first and then fiddle with the settings while everyone watched you click around. This new control gives you the power to set the privacy or productivity tone of the meeting before it even starts.
Better Visibility
In addition to the green room controls, Google is also adding a more prominent notice for participants joining a call where note-taking is active. It’s a small but welcome move toward better transparency. If the call has already started, don’t worry—you still have the ability to start or stop the notes at any time during the meeting as well.
Availability and Rollout
As is typical with these Workspace updates, this is rolling out in stages. Rapid Release domains should start seeing these new controls over the next couple of weeks (starting Feb 18th), while Scheduled Release domains will begin seeing them on March 5th, 2023.
This feature will be available for:
- Business Standard and Plus
- Enterprise Standard and Plus
- Google AI Pro for Education
- Frontline Plus
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