Zoom Unveils Plans for AI Companion—Better Support, Productivity Coming

Zoom, the popular video calling platform, is stepping up its game with enhanced features and expanded language support for its AI Companion.

In a significant move, the company proudly announced that this AI tool has now distilled insights from over one million meetings.

Here's what's in store for Zoom AI Companion.

Zoom AI Companion is Finally Here

According to TechRadar, Zoom is breaking down language barriers by adding support for 32 new languages. These languages will soon be available for preview before a full rollout. Users of the AI Companion can expect to see in-meeting questions in these additional languages, along with short summaries provided before the full meeting summary.

Overcoming the fear of public speaking, especially in virtual meetings, is a common challenge. Zoom tackles this with a new speech analytics section in its Smart Recordings. This feature offers hosts valuable insights into their speaking patterns, including the talk-listen ratio, speech speed, and filler words. It's all designed to enhance engagement.

The videoconferencing tool is also putting more control in the hands of its users by offering the option to enable Zoom's proprietary LLM (Large Language Model). This feature empowers users to choose which models they prefer to work with.

These updates are scheduled for release in November, and the best part is that eligible Zoom users will enjoy them at no extra cost.

"Providing the best value to our customers across our platform is core to our mission, which is why we made AI Companion available at no additional cost,1 and we continue to introduce new AI capabilities at Zoom speed, so more of our customers can get the most out of Zoom's AI innovations," said Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom in latest blog.

According to Hashim, the company's "federated approach" takes advantage of the different models for generative AI. Additionally, she says that this would help reduce overhead costs.

Currently, over 125,000 accounts are making the most of Zoom's AI Companion. The company remains committed to improving existing features and introducing new ones. As the favored video conferencing app for professionals, Zoom continues to innovate, making remote work more productive and engaging.

Zoom Slapped With Backlash on Consumer Data Use

Not all AI-related innovations are lauded by people. For instance, Zoom was criticized by many users following its AI training. Previously, the company said that it would use consumer data.

After the backlash, the company decided not to use consumer data anymore for AI models. This is because some people see it as bypassing their privacy when it comes to data safekeeping.

Zoom quickly reevaluated its approach and listened to the concerns of the community. The feedback has convinced Zoom to review some changes for AI training.