Zoom brings its AI assistant to the web with access to free users

Today, Zoom has launched its AI assistant on the web as part of the highly anticipated AI Companion 3.0 update. In a significant move, the company is extending access to this innovative tool to free users, enabling them to leverage features such as meeting summaries, action item listings, and insightful meeting analyses, albeit with some limitations. Free users on the basic plan will be able to utilize the AI assistant during three meetings each month. Each session will benefit from a comprehensive meeting summary, the ability to pose in-meeting questions, and AI-driven note-taking functionalities. Additionally, users can query the assistant up to 20 times through the side panel on the new web interface. For those seeking more extensive access, Zoom offers a $10 add-on plan that unlocks additional AI companion features. The refreshed web interface also introduces conversation starter prompts, helping users understand the full range of capabilities the assistant offers. Notably, the AI companion can now pull information from external sources including Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, alongside all data stored within Zoom itself. Future updates are set to integrate support for Gmail and Microsoft Outlook as well. Among its features, the AI Companion generates a daily reflection report that encapsulates meetings, tasks, and key updates. It can also create follow-up tasks and draft email communications based on user interactions. Additionally, the update enhances document creation and management, allowing users to draft and edit documents directly within the companion interface, which can then be transitioned to Zoom Docs for team collaboration. Lijuan Qin, Zoom's head of AI product, emphasized the company's independent operations and the advantage of having contextual meeting data, setting it apart from competitors in the productivity sector. Zoom utilizes a blend of its proprietary models alongside those from OpenAI and Anthropic to deliver these advanced features. Founded by CEO Eric Yuan, Zoom gained widespread recognition as a leading video conferencing platform during the pandemic and now aims to enhance its productivity tools to compete with major players like Google, Microsoft, ClickUp, and Notion. Earlier this year, Zoom also introduced a cross-application note-taking tool, designed to work across various meeting platforms as well as in offline settings, further solidifying its position in the competitive productivity application landscape.