
“We might as well start” usually does not mean merely “we could also start”. It means that, given the circumstances, there is no good reason to keep waiting, so starting now is the most sensible course. Might as well often carries a mild sense of “well, we may as well do that”.
For example: A: Should we wait for Tom? B: He said he’d be late, so we might as well start. The speaker is not guessing that the meeting may begin; they are making a decision from the information available.
The phrase can sound slightly resigned, so it is not a good way to express genuine enthusiasm. If you are delighted to join, “I’d love to” is clearer. This use is natural in Australian, British and American English; the surrounding context determines the tone.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/may-as-well-and-might-as-well
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/might%2Fmay%20as%20well
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