#### The Problem Students learning online frequently complain that asynchronous discussions feel impersonal, with interactions often perceived as forced or _artificial_. But flip to live (synchronous) discussions, and now it’s the instructors who are overwhelmed. Watching or listening to every conversation just to assign grades isn't exactly efficient. #### The Solution Encourage students to meet live _and_ use AI tools to document the discussion. Services like Otter.ai[^1] can transcribe conversations in real time. Students just submit the transcript or an AI-written summary, and instructors can quickly scan and assess their contributions without the need to sit through the whole session. We piloted this setup in a few small courses and got encouraging feedback: **students felt more connected**, and **instructors reported spending _less_ time grading** than before. Even better, newer tools like Zoom’s AI Companion[^2] go beyond transcription and generate smart meeting summaries _automatically_ (no student or instructor effort required!), offering a quick overview of what was discussed and who said what, so instructors can get the gist fast and dive into specific parts if needed. This approach doesn’t just reduce grading time—it supports deeper, more human interaction in online learning. And because it integrates directly into the workflow, it scales well across courses and departments. For instructional designers working under time and tech constraints, it’s a practical way to blend engagement with efficiency—and deliver real impact at scale. [^1]: Get transcripts, automated summaries, action items, and chat with [Otter.ai](https://otter.ai/) to get answers from your meetings. [^2]: [How to setup Zoom AI Companion](https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0057960)