Zoom has introduced a range of AI-driven innovations at its annual Zoomtopia 2024 event, aimed at transforming workplace communication and productivity. The company, known for its video conferencing tools, is positioning itself as a leader in AI-first work platforms.
Eric S. Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom, said: “We’re not just reimagining communication—we’re revolutionising the entire work experience. This is more than an evolution; it’s a complete overhaul of how we get things done in the digital age.”
The key announcement at Zoomtopia 2024 was the launch of AI Companion 2.0. The latest iteration of the AI tool is designed to help teams work more efficiently, with features such as personalised suggestions, action tracking, and integration with services like Microsoft Outlook, Google Docs, and Gmail. Zoom says these enhancements will allow users to get more done by automating tasks across its platform.
AI-driven productivity tools
Zoom’s AI Companion will now have a persistent side panel, offering a seamless experience across the entire Zoom Workplace suite. The AI tool also includes advanced context understanding, which uses information from users’ conversations and interactions to make intelligent suggestions, alongside real-time web lookups to answer questions and summarise meetings.
A notable addition is its ability to connect with external apps like Jira, Workday, and Zendesk. This allows AI Companion to access more data and take actions across third-party apps, providing more detailed insights and automating routine tasks.
For organisations wanting even greater customisation, Zoom is offering a personalised AI Companion add-on for $12 per user per month, available from 2025. This add-on will offer deeper data integrations, tailored glossaries, and avatar creation for video content.
Collaboration and employee experience
Zoom’s Workplace platform will also see major enhancements, with the introduction of Zoom Tasks. This AI-powered tool will automatically recommend and track tasks for users, helping them stay organised based on their interactions across Zoom Workplace. Additionally, AI features for Zoom Phone will generate real-time call summaries and even create voicemail greetings based on users’ schedules.
For in-person meetings, AI Companion will offer new tools to recommend meeting days and room sizes based on employee schedules. These features are designed to optimise space and encourage better in-office collaboration.
On the employee engagement side, Zoom is introducing AI tools for Workvivo, its employee engagement platform. The tools will help create content faster and provide insights into staff engagement and well-being.
Industry-specific solutions
Zoom also revealed new AI tools tailored for specific industries. Frontline workers, healthcare professionals, and educators will benefit from specialised tools to streamline their workflows. For instance, healthcare staff will have access to AI-generated clinical notes, while education professionals will get AI-powered lesson plans and personalised feedback systems.
Healthcare and education organisations will also have the option to purchase custom AI Companion add-ons, offering enhanced integrations with electronic healthcare records and learning management systems.
Looking ahead
The new AI Companion 2.0 and other Zoom Workplace advancements will be available at no extra cost for users with paid Zoom accounts. For those seeking even deeper customisation, the add-on services will roll out in early 2025.
Zoomtopia continues tomorrow with sessions for the APAC, EMEA, and Japan regions, providing more insights into these new innovations.
