Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) kicked off Zoomtopia 2022, the company’s annual event to unveil new innovations to power modern work experiences and celebrate the future of communication and collaboration. For the first time ever, Zoomtopia 2022 is a hybrid experience powered by Zoom Events, Zoom’s all-in-one, virtual event management solution.
“As global organizations are adapting to how, when, and where work happens, it’s crucial that human connection remains a top priority to drive business strategies forward,” said Eric S. Yuan, CEO at Zoom. “Zoom is purpose-built to make all kinds of connections possible, effective, and meaningful. Our team has built and launched more than 1,500 features and enhancements on the Zoom platform this year, advancing the way people connect with each other, their organization, and their customers—ultimately, opening the doors wide for creativity and collaboration.”
“There has never been more uncertainty surrounding the future of work than there is today. Work from anywhere, hybrid offices and other trends have created a complex set of questions that business and IT leaders need to address. Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain and that is collaboration tools will be critical in keeping workers connected,” said Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research. “Zoom has rapidly evolved from being a niche meetings company to a broad collaboration platform that delivers unparalleled employee and customer experience, and helps organizations address the current and future needs of work.”
“Our team connects and collaborates on Zoom, allowing us to seamlessly work together no matter where we are located—so that we can continue delivering world-class content from our iconic brands like HBO, Warner Bros., CNN, and Food Network and beloved characters like Batman, Superman, Looney Tunes, and Harry Potter,” said Dave Duvall, CIO – Technology & Operations, Warner Bros. Discovery. “We’ve been able to evolve with Zoom, particularly beyond meetings, with products like Zoom Phone, Zoom Rooms, and Zoom Team Chat. The whole platform has really expanded our capabilities to collaborate and stay connected within the organization.”
Zoom Platform Innovations Announced at Zoomtopia
To further advance the next era of communications, Zoom unveiled several new offerings to empower businesses and individuals alike.
Some of the latest announcements include:
- Zoom Mail and Calendar (beta): With the Zoom Mail and Calendar Clients, users no longer need to leave the Zoom platform to access their email and calendar. Popular email and calendar services will be integrated directly into Zoom, meaning users can quickly access their communications and scheduling, and get their work done more efficiently. For businesses who may not have dedicated IT services but are focused on privacy and security, Zoom also rolled out Zoom-hosted email and calendar service options, also directly integrated with the Zoom platform. Zoom Mail Service is end-to-end encrypted for emails sent directly between active Zoom Mail Service users. Zoom Mail and Calendar Clients and Zoom Mail and Calendar Services will launch in beta.
- Zoom Spots: Welcome to Zoom’s virtual co-working space! Coming in early 2023, Zoom Spots is a video-enabled persistent space, integrated within the Zoom platform, to help foster inclusive discussions, keep colleagues connected, and bring the fluid interactions of in-person work to distributed, hybrid teams throughout their day.
- Zoom Virtual Agent: Zoom Virtual Agent is an intelligent conversational AI and chatbot solution that uses natural language processing and machine learning to understand and quickly resolve issues for customers. Zoom Virtual Agent works around-the-clock on multiple support channels to deliver fast, personalized customer experiences, reduce call volumes to human agents, and drive significant operational efficiencies for businesses. Zoom Virtual Agent, available in early 2023, can be fully integrated with Zoom Contact Center and will also be offered as a standalone chatbot solution.
- Continuous Collaboration across Zoom One: Connected workstreams across Zoom One, the all-in-one communication and collaboration offering that brings together Team Chat, Phone, Whiteboard, Meetings, and more, are enabling individuals and teams to do their best work. Among these new capabilities is the integration between Team Chat and In-Meeting Chat, creating an always-on functionality so users can flow between Team Chat and Meetings to reduce silos, keep projects moving, and continue the conversation after meetings.
- Zoom IQ Virtual Coach: Coming soon as part of Zoom IQ for Sales, Zoom IQ Virtual Coach simulates a variety of selling situations to give sellers a practice environment to hone their pitch, obtain feedback, and receive real-time content tips during calls with prospects.
