In the world of video conferencing, Zoom is constantly pushing the boundaries and seeking new ways to enhance the user experience. And their latest endeavor involves taking virtual meetings to a whole new level. The American giant is working on developing AI-powered avatars that can attend meetings on behalf of individuals, even making decisions in their absence.
Imagine this scenario: your next video conference is in 5 minutes, but you’re still lounging around in your pajamas. Not to worry, because Zoom has a solution in the works. They plan to offer an AI-generated avatar on their video conferencing platform, allowing users to participate in events remotely without physically being present.
“Ideally, I wouldn’t need to attend a video conference. I can send a digital version of myself to register and free myself up to go to the beach. Or I wouldn’t need to check my emails. My digital self can handle most of it,” says Eric Yuan, the founder and CEO of Zoom, in an interview with The Verge.
Initially, these avatars may take the form of a simple voice. However, the company envisions developing a 100% immersive experience by eventually offering 3D versions of users. “You won’t be able to tell if it’s a real person or not,” Yuan adds with a smile.
But what about security? Zoom aims to develop a personalized Language Model (LLM) for each user based on their data and context. They also plan to create multiple avatars per person that can be modified according to the specific context and needs of each situation. For example, if someone knows they’re not great at negotiations, they can adjust their avatar’s settings to have better negotiation skills.
These AI doubles won’t be limited to just attending meetings on behalf of individuals; they will also assist and replace them in various tasks, such as messaging, phone calls, emails, coding, creative work, and project management. This could potentially save users valuable time and streamline their daily workflows.
However, as with any advancement, there are potential concerns and risks. It’s difficult to ensure that someone else won’t misuse or impersonate your digital double. Yuan reassures users, “We are working on improving the security of our calls and ensuring that nobody will hack into your meeting. The digital twins will be authenticated.”
Another important consideration is the secure storage of these AI-powered avatars. Yuan emphasizes that Zoom is committed to fully leveraging AI and becoming an AI-driven company. They’ve already made strides in this direction with Zoom AI Companion, a generative intelligence-powered assistant that is already available.
Yuan offers an example from his own experience, “Let’s say I miss a meeting. Given that I’m the CEO, they will probably reschedule the meeting for me. Now, suppose the AI is there. It can understand my entire calendar, grasp the context, and with just one click and within five seconds, the AI has already rescheduled the meeting.”
However, Yuan acknowledges that these generative AI technologies are still in their early stages. While there are numerous potential opportunities, the full potential of these technologies has yet to be realized.
As we look to the future, it’s clear that Zoom is at the forefront of innovation in the video conferencing space. With their AI-powered avatars, they aim to revolutionize the way we interact remotely, making virtual meetings more seamless and productive than ever before. Whether it’s attending meetings, managing tasks, or automating repetitive professional tasks, Zoom’s vision of an AI-driven future is undoubtedly exciting.
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