In today’s world, some of the most critical decisions are made in rooms—both physical and virtual—where dozens or even hundreds of people need to be heard. These meetings aren’t short syncs or quick standups. They can stretch across entire days, involve multiple languages, and require a level of fairness and accuracy that no human note-taker could manage alone.
Recently, a United Nations body put Equal Time to the test in exactly this setting: an 8-hour hybrid meeting with 150+ participants. Their goal was not only to capture the discussion but also to ensure an equitable process where every member state had the chance to contribute and be recognized.
The Challenge of Long, Complex Meetings
Meetings of this scale present unique challenges:
- Duration: Transcribing and summarizing conversations that last an entire day.
- Participants: Managing contributions from 150+ people across different time zones and accents.
- Hybrid Setting: Balancing fairness between those in the room and those joining virtually.
- Equity: Ensuring that no single voice dominates, and that smaller or quieter delegations are heard and recorded accurately.
Traditional transcription tools often break down with this complexity—missing content, failing speaker attribution, or simply timing out after long sessions.
How Equal Time Delivered
Equal Time’s AI meeting assistant was designed with these challenges in mind. For the UN meeting, it delivered:
- Accurate Transcription Across 8+ Hours
Equal Time captured every word across the full day without gaps or drop-offs. - Summarization That Scales
Instead of producing a single overwhelming transcript, Equal Time generated structured summaries that made it easy to find key decisions and next steps. - Speaker Diarization for 150+ Participants
Equal Time reliably separated speakers so contributions could be attributed to the correct country or delegate. - Fairness & Equity Insights
Speaking time analytics highlighted imbalances and gave facilitators data to ensure that smaller delegations weren’t drowned out by larger voices.
Why This Matters for Global Decision-Making
For the UN body, Equal Time wasn’t just a convenience—it was a safeguard. By ensuring all voices were captured and visible, the technology directly supported their mission of fairness and equitable participation.
When the stakes are global, trust in the process matters. Accurate transcripts, visible speaking patterns, and unbiased summaries help every delegation feel confident that their voice counts.
Beyond the UN: What This Means for Your Organization
Not every team runs 8-hour hybrid meetings with 150+ people—but many organizations face their own version of complexity:
- Large cross-functional workshops
- Global all-hands meetings
- High-stakes board or client reviews
Equal Time ensures that these sessions are not only documented but also actionable and fair—no matter how long they run or how many people are involved.
👉 Interested in learning more about how Equal Time handles scale and equity in meetings? Explore our features here: https://equaltime.io/#features