Zoom has unveiled a new feature that allows users to co-create documents in real-time during meetings, aiming to make collaboration more seamless and efficient. Named “Zoom Docs,” this addition lets users write, edit, and translate documents directly within the Zoom app, bringing a new dimension to the video conferencing experience.
Zoom Docs represents the company’s push into the productivity space, positioning itself alongside established tools like Google Docs and Microsoft 365. This new feature is powered by AI Companion, an advanced generative AI developed through collaborations with Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, and Zoom’s own proprietary language models.
According to Smita Hashim, Zoom’s chief product officer, Zoom Docs is designed to streamline workflow by converting meeting transcripts into structured documents such as tables and trackers. This functionality is intended to help users stay organized and focus on the critical aspects of their work. The AI Companion also offers document translation in nine languages, further enhancing its utility for global teams.
Hashim emphasized that the introduction of Zoom Docs aims to alleviate some of the time-consuming tasks associated with document creation and management. “Zoom Docs transforms information from Zoom Meetings into actionable documents and knowledge bases, so teams can stay focused on meaningful work,” she explained. The feature is part of Zoom Workplace and is available at no additional cost to subscribers, who pay between $14 and $19 per person per month. Free users can create up to ten documents per month, which they can share with their teams.
The new feature brings Zoom into direct competition with other major productivity tools. Microsoft’s Copilot for 365, priced at $30 per user per month, and Google’s Gemini, averaging $20 per user per month, are well-established options for business users. While Gemini enables collaborative document creation, image generation, and text summarization, Copilot offers similar capabilities, including document analysis and rewriting across Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Zoom’s push into AI-powered document management comes as part of a broader strategy to drive growth. Since the launch of AI Companion in September 2023, Zoom reports that over 7.2 million meeting summaries have been generated using the tool. This initial success highlights the growing interest in AI-driven features and signals Zoom’s intent to leverage this momentum to boost user engagement with its productivity tools.
The move comes at a critical juncture for Zoom. The company has faced significant challenges since the pandemic-fueled surge in demand for its video conferencing services. Zoom’s share price has plummeted by over 90% since its peak in 2020, and the company has undergone significant restructuring, including a 15% reduction in staff earlier this year. Integrating AI tools like Zoom Docs is seen as a strategic effort to reinvigorate growth and attract new users.
As Zoom Docs rolls out, it will compete in a crowded marketplace where Google Workspace boasts 3 billion users monthly and Microsoft Teams has 320 million active users. By offering innovative features within its existing platform, Zoom aims to capture a share of this large user base and position itself as a key player in the evolving landscape of digital collaboration.
