Zoom Video Communications Inc. introduced new agent-based artificial intelligence capabilities to its platform today, aimed at helping users orchestrate tasks to save time during their workday.

The platform’s new Custom AI Companion add-on can now connect to more than 16 third-party apps without leaving Zoom. Additionally, the AI Companion add-on is available for online purchase and integration into third-party conferencing apps such as Microsoft Corp.’s Teams and Google LLC’s Meet.

These new tools upgrade the company’s AI Companion, a generative AI assistant available across the entire Zoom platform. The AI Companion received agentic AI upgrades in March to provide capabilities such as calendar scheduling management, generating clips from lengthy video meetings and providing writing assistance for advanced document creation, among other features.

“With Zoom AI Companion’s agentic skills, users will see a significant productivity boost to help them get more done — not just in Zoom,” said Chief Product Officer Smita Hashim.

Agentic AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can operate independently with minimal or no human supervision. It’s capable of performing tasks, gathering data and achieving objectives automatically. Zoom stated that this technology will help users save time and increase productivity without having to leave the Zoom Workplace.

With the Custom Zoom Companion add-on feature, users can already connect apps such as Amazon Q, Glean and Jira to receive powerful enterprise search and ticketing capabilities. New app connectors for Salesforce, ServiceNow and Zendesk can help reduce manual effort and ensure customer interactions. By connecting to OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, Confluence, Notion and Coda, it can provide meaningful conversations by accessing documents during meetings, or updating those documents with simple prompts.

Integrations with team communication apps like Slack enable users to search, summarize, and post messages through the AI Companion. Additionally, a connection to Workday Inc.’s service simplifies the onboarding process for new employees, as well as recruiting and interviewing.

Now available for purchase online for third-party platforms

Now that the Custom AI Companion is available to online customers, they can tailor it to their needs outside of the Zoom app and use it within third-party conferencing software. This includes platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, with Cisco Systems Inc. Webex coming soon.

Zoom has designed this version of its companion so that professional service providers, sales professionals and educators can customize it for their unique needs. It is an open platform that can attend meetings on behalf of users to automatically transcribe discussions, summarize key points, and deliver follow-up actions. Users can also have the companion provide them with AI-generated Zoom Clips that will help them quickly generate content from Zoom or other meetings.

The companion is now available for purchase at $12 per user per month with paid Zoom Workspace plans.

Image: Zoom