Speaker distorted when my environment is loud

[shstone]

When I am using Zoom and my physical environment is noisy, my Zoom audio gets super distorted, and I can no longer understand what the person speaking to me is saying. The AI chatbot was not helpful, and I can't find a clear, direct answer to my problem through searching. I use a MacBook Air and A2031 AirPods (2021). I have tried checking settings on both my AirPods and on Zoom, and I have tried "Test Speaker." The problem is that when I am on a call, the volume levels of my physical environment seem to suppress/distort the sound on my receiving end, to the point I can't understand words being spoken to me. Does anyone have any suggestions of how can I fix this issue?