Update brings web interface, workflow automation and expanded access for Basic users without the need for paid Workplace licenses.
In Brief
Zoom launched AI Companion 3.0 on Dec. 15, adding new AI-driven productivity features and agentic workflows.
A new $10-per-month standalone option allows Zoom Basic users to access AI Companion without a paid Workplace license.
The update expands automation for meeting follow-ups, document creation, task management and research.
Zoom combines its own AI models with OpenAI, Anthropic and NVIDIA Nemotron to improve transcription, translation and contextual accuracy.
Zoom Communications has launched AI Companion 3.0, expanding access to its AI features and introducing a standalone pricing model aimed at a broader base of users.
Zoom President of product and engineering, Velchamy Sankarlingam, called the release a "turning point," framing the launch as the latest in the ongoing evolution of the company from a meeting company into a vendor of "AI-first intelligent work orchestration."
The company asserts its new federated AI approach, which combines Zoom's own LLMs and SLMs with third-party models from OpenAI, Anthropic and NVIDIA Nemotron, will improve transcriptions, closed captions and translated captions, while allowing it to select the best model for a specific task.
Zoom AI Companion 3.0 Features
Today's launch expands AI access across the platform, though some features find the company in catch-up mode with competitors. For example, collaborative authoring and editing in Zoom Docs mirrors capabilities Google Workspace has had for two decades.
Features of AI Companion 3.0 include:
Feature
What It Does
Timing / Availability
Conversational Work Surface
New web-based AI workspace that brings in context across work activities including meetings, chats, tasks and documents.
Available at launch
Agentic Retrieval
Finds relevant answers across meetings, notes and connected third-party content.
Available at launch; additional integrations coming soon
Daily Reflection Report
Provides a daily recap of a user’s meetings, tasks and updates for the day.
Available at launch
Deep Research Mode (Custom AI Companion)
Analyzes multiple sources to generate deeper insights and next steps.
Available at launch for Custom AI Companion customers
My Notes
Captures AI-generated transcripts and notes across in-person, Zoom and supported third-party meetings.
Coming soon
Personal Workflows (Beta)
Automates recurring follow-up tasks and summaries.
Beta; availability varies by account
Agentic retrieval searches across supported assets in Zoom Workplace and connected third-party apps.Zoom
Zoom's Recent Strategic Moves
Just last month, Zoom acquired BrightHire, an AI-powered hiring intelligence platform. The deal brought AI-driven interview planning and automated insights to enterprises including Canva, Duolingo and Instacart.
Custom AI agents through the Custom AI Companion add-on, allowing IT teams to build tailored agents in Zoom AI Studio.
Cross-platform support for Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, with Cisco WebEx integration planned.
Model Context Protocol connections to internal knowledge bases and apps.
Earlier in the year, the company launched solutions aimed at frontline workers (April), introduced new agents and AI agent skills for the AI companion (March) and added AI-powered workflow automation in February.
Agentic AI Reshapes Enterprise Productivity
2025 saw agentic AI gain traction, with KPMG reporting pilots of AI agents nearly doubled in one quarter. Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, ServiceNow, Glean and Notion are just a few of the vendors embedding AI agents into productivity suites and workflow automation tools.
However, the rapid market expansion has spawned a phenomenon called “agent washing,” where vendors rebrand simple automation tools as advanced AI agents. This practice has contributed to confusion and project failures, with Gartner predicting that nearly 40% of agentic AI initiatives will be canceled by 2027 due to high costs, unclear return on investment and inadequate risk management. Organizations cite ethical concerns, bias, security risks and the need for observability platforms as primary challenges.
With AI Companion 3.0, Zoom is positioning itself not just as a collaboration vendor, but as a broader work orchestration platform — testing whether agentic AI can deliver real productivity gains, beyond the meeting.
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About the Author
Sheryl Hodge is assistant managing editor at Simpler Media Group, where she plays a vital role in keeping the editorial operations running smoothly across the company’s three sites: CMSWire, Reworked and VKTR. Known for her organizational skills and attention to detail, Sheryl acts as the glue that binds the publications together, ensuring that workflows remain seamless and deadlines are met. Connect with Sheryl Hodge:
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