At its Zoomtopia conference on Wednesday, Zoom announced a suite of new products, including an upgraded AI Companion that can work across meeting applications. While the company has long offered an AI bot for recording and transcribing Zoom meetings, it now aims to compete with other specialized notetaking services by making its AI companion work with other platforms, such as Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. It will also include a new feature that allows users to take their own notes during in-person meetings and have AI later expand and structure them.
The company is also adding a cross-platform search feature that will allow users to retrieve information from across Google and Microsoft’s platforms, in a direct challenge to the functionality of other productivity suites.
AI Features for Increased Productivity
New calendar-related features are also on the way with the AI Companion. Users will be able to find optimal time slots that work for all attendees when scheduling meetings. Additionally, a new “free up my time” request can suggest meetings that users might be able to skip. The company is also rolling out proactive meeting recommendations, such as suggested tasks and agenda items for meeting preparation, and a group AI assistant.
AI will also be used to aid in new live translation features, and hosts will have the ability to use Zoom Clips, its asynchronous video tool, and AI avatars to greet people in waiting rooms and to explain the purpose of a meeting.
Photorealistic Avatars and Other Updates
Zoom will introduce photorealistic avatars to its platforms, a feature the company has been developing for some time. These avatars will mime a user’s actions on video and are intended for use when someone is not “camera-ready.” While a compelling feature, the company has also acknowledged the deepfake risks involved, which could prompt corporate IT departments to disable them. The company expects the feature to be available to consumers by the end of the year.
Furthermore, Zoom is launching an upgraded web interface that will feature its AI companion more prominently. Other AI-powered features being added include a writing assistant for drafting emails and documents, a deep research feature, and a new Zoom video management tool to help users manage their video assets. The platform will also allow for the creation of custom AI agents and support for a higher bit rate and 60fps for meetings.
What The Author Thinks
These updates signal a major strategic pivot for Zoom, from being a simple video conferencing tool to a comprehensive, AI-powered productivity suite. By directly integrating with competitors and offering features that handle pre-meeting, in-meeting, and post-meeting tasks, Zoom is positioning itself as an essential central hub for all professional communication. This aggressive expansion into the productivity space is a necessary step for Zoom to remain relevant as AI becomes a core part of business operations, but it also raises questions about user privacy and data ownership in a cross-platform environment. The photorealistic avatars, while an innovative feature, also highlight the fine line the company is walking between cutting-edge technology and potential misuse.
Featured image credit: Mariia Shalabaieva via Unsplash
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