Zoom is set to enhance its generative artificial intelligence tool, now called "Zoom AI Companion," with significant expansions slated for this fall. The exciting news is that this upgraded AI Companion will come at no extra cost to existing Zoom video-meeting service subscribers, as the company recently announced.

The revamped AI Companion will seamlessly integrate into various aspects of Zoom, including Team Chat, Meetings, Phone, Email, Whiteboard, and several other features on the roadmap. These enhancements will roll out gradually, with some becoming immediately available and others scheduled for release over the coming months.

For users running late to a Zoom meeting, one of the standout features of the Zoom AI Companion is its ability to facilitate quick catch-ups through a side panel by fielding questions. Post-meeting, the AI Companion will provide users with Zoom recordings featuring highlights and smartly segmented chapters, along with auto-generated meeting summaries (provided the meeting's host has enabled these features).

Zoom has ambitious plans for the AI Companion, aiming to offer "real-time feedback" on meeting performance by spring. This includes coaching on conversational and presentation skills.

Another notable update involves generative AI summarization for Team Chat, set to launch in the near future, simplifying the process of catching up on lengthy chat threads. Early in 2024, users can expect the ability to auto-complete sentences and schedule meetings directly from a chat. Zoom also plans to introduce several other features for meeting preparations and debriefing.

To address privacy concerns, Zoom has assured users that the AI Companion will be turned off by default, with account administrators retaining control over its activation. Furthermore, the company emphasized that customer audio, video, or any other materials will not be used for AI training, addressing prior worries about data usage for AI purposes.

Zoom's AI Companion leverages its proprietary large language models along with Meta's Llama 2, OpenAI, and Anthropic to power its AI capabilities. These large language models are akin to those powering renowned generative AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Bard, and Microsoft's Bing.

In conclusion, Zoom's AI Companion promises a transformative upgrade for the platform, enriching user experiences across various aspects of the service while ensuring privacy and data security remain paramount. These enhancements will be phased in over time, providing users with even more powerful and intuitive tools for their video-conferencing needs.