Zoom launches cross-app AI notetaker, avatars, and more

Zoom is doubling down on AI to stay ahead in the workplace collaboration race. At its annual Zoomtopia conference on Wednesday, the company introduced a slate of new products, including an upgraded AI Companion that works across meeting apps, AI-powered scheduling tools, and photorealistic avatars designed to mimic user behavior on video.

Cross-App AI Notetaker

Zoom’s AI Companion, once limited to its own platform, will now work across Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, expanding its role beyond Zoom’s ecosystem. The tool can take notes in both virtual and in-person meetings, putting it in direct competition with standalone AI notetakers like Read AI, Otter, Fireflies, Granola, and Circleback.

Zoom is also rolling out a feature that lets users jot down personal notes during meetings, which AI will later expand and organize — a capability similar to what Granola offers. A cross-platform search function is also being introduced, allowing users to retrieve meeting insights across Google and Microsoft tools.

Smarter Scheduling and Meeting Management

The upgraded AI will help users find common meeting times, suggest which meetings can be skipped with a new “free up my time” feature, and provide proactive recommendations such as agenda items or follow-up tasks. A new group AI assistant will help teams plan and coordinate collaboratively.

These enhancements put Zoom in competition with productivity startups like Clockwise, which also focus on calendar conflict resolution.

Photorealistic Avatars

One of the more eye-catching features: AI-powered avatars that mimic user actions in real time. These avatars, previewed earlier this year by CEO Eric Yuan, will roll out to consumers by year’s end. They’re designed to help users who aren’t “camera-ready,” though they also raise concerns around deepfake misuse that could push IT teams to disable them.

Avatars will also integrate with Zoom Clips, allowing hosts to greet participants in waiting rooms or explain meeting goals asynchronously.

AI-Powered Productivity Tools

Beyond meetings, Zoom is broadening its AI scope:

• Live translation for global participants.
• A writing assistant for drafting emails and documents.
• A deep research tool for knowledge work.
• Custom AI agents built with support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
• An upgraded web interface to spotlight AI features.
• Higher-quality meetings with 60fps video and higher bit rates.
• A new Zoom video management tool to organize and control video assets.

The Bigger Picture

With these updates, Zoom is positioning itself not just as a video conferencing tool, but as a comprehensive AI productivity suite. The timing is key: workplace AI adoption is accelerating, and rivals ranging from Microsoft to emerging startups are racing to capture attention with specialized solutions.

By blending meeting assistance, scheduling, and creative tools under one roof, Zoom is betting that enterprises will prefer an all-in-one platform over juggling multiple niche providers.