Generative AI in Team Meetings Three Practical Approaches to Boost Collaboration and Results

Generative AI: 3 Ways AI Can Improve Team Meetings

Even teams familiar with generative AI often miss the chance to use it during collaborative sessions like workshops, planning meetings, or strategy reviews. They tend to fall back on traditional habits. But when AI is intentionally included in team meetings, it can boost productivity, improve decision-making, and help teams align more effectively.

Consider a recent AI strategy workshop led by a company’s head of AI, whom we’ll call Marc. The group, well-versed in AI, spent the day brainstorming and planning. At the end, Marc realized AI hadn’t been used during the session. This is a common blind spot. Even those who know AI well often forget to integrate it in group settings, missing out on faster decisions, clearer thinking, and better ideas.

Marc’s experience highlights a key barrier: mindset. It’s easy to default to old routines and overlook how AI can transform teamwork. Across organizations, countless meetings happen every day without AI support, leaving value on the table. Until teams rethink their collaborative moments with AI, its full benefits won’t be realized.

But AI’s potential in collaboration isn’t just theory. Managers experimenting with AI in small groups report better output quality and improved risk management. They challenge AI more, try new approaches, and reflect deeper.

Three Approaches to Integrating AI into Teamwork

From our observations, there are three practical ways to bring AI into team meetings:

• AI Sets the Table
• AI at One Seat
• AI at Every Seat

Each approach requires attention to team dynamics to work well.

AI Sets the Table

This approach uses AI before the meeting to prepare materials, templates, or guidelines. For example, Anna, head of strategy at an automotive company, used AI to create pre-read content and design the meeting agenda. She also developed structured prompts to guide discussion and even anticipated potential conflicts.

Preparing this way helps participants come ready and focused, making discussions more productive.

• Encourage participants to engage with AI-generated prep materials actively.
• Use AI to consider different stakeholders and possible group dynamics.
• Add your own experience and context to AI outputs.

• Don’t prep in isolation. Collaborate with experts before sharing materials.

AI at One Seat

Here, AI runs on one device during the meeting. One person types or dictates inputs on behalf of the group. John, an innovation manager, brings his laptop and uses AI as a guide throughout discussions. He prompts AI based on the meeting phase, making it act like an extra team member.

• Introduce the AI to the group by sharing who is present and their roles.
• Use voice-to-text tools to keep the conversation flowing smoothly.

• Start with small groups before trying this in larger teams.
• Make sure the person controlling the AI doesn’t dominate; capture everyone’s input.

AI at Every Seat

In this setup, each participant uses AI individually during the meeting. David, a workshop facilitator, asked everyone to use their laptops to interact with AI in real time. This method encourages personal reflection and creates a safe space for brainstorming.

• Encourage participants to use AI for self-reflection during the session.
• Limit individual AI interaction time to about 10 minutes to keep things on track.

• Set clear guidelines so AI doesn’t become a distraction.
• Always have a human facilitator to manage the collaboration between team and AI.

How to Start

Bringing AI into team settings requires intention. Ask yourself, “How can AI support this group session?” Choose the integration style based on participant number and topic sensitivity. You can also combine these approaches flexibly as needed.

Managers already using AI in meetings are discovering useful practices. Whether it’s preparing with AI, using AI from one device, or giving everyone access, these methods can improve your team’s output and collaboration.

To learn more about AI in team settings and practical applications, explore resources like Complete AI Training for courses tailored to management and teamwork.