Zoom is on Technology News of launching an innovative feature that enables users to generate photorealistic avatars for video meetings. The video conferencing platform announced on Wednesday that this new functionality will allow participants to create lifelike digital representations of themselves, perfect for those moments when they feel less than camera-ready.
This exciting feature is set to roll out for Zoom Workplace users in December. Users will be able to upload a photo of themselves or take a snapshot directly within the app to create their avatar. The generated avatar can be customized with different professional attire and will be capable of mimicking the user’s movements and speech during meetings.
Previously, Zoom allowed users to send prerecorded messages using AI avatars, but this new feature takes it a step further by enabling users to participate in live meetings as their AI clone. In a June 2024 interview on Decoder, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan discussed a vision of a future where individuals would possess “digital twins,” or AI representatives that could handle tasks, answer emails, and even attend meetings on their behalf. While this level of sophistication is not yet realized, Zoom is making significant strides toward that goal.
To ensure integrity while using the photorealistic avatars, Zoom is implementing measures to prevent users from attending meetings as someone else. Smita Hashim, the chief product officer at Zoom, explained to Technology News that the platform will involve “live camera authentication” to verify the identity of users against the images they upload. Moreover, users will see on-screen notifications during meetings indicating that an AI avatar is being utilized. Hashim noted that the feature is still in development, and policies regarding enrollment and authentication may evolve before its official launch.
In addition to the avatar feature, Zoom is introducing a real-time voice translation option. Set to debut in December, this functionality will utilize AI to provide real-time translation of spoken content, allowing users to hear the speaker in multiple languages of their choice. The feature will support several languages, including English, German, Chinese, French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Portuguese, and Italian.
Moreover, Zoom is upgrading its AI assistant, which will facilitate scheduling meetings and generating video clips. Starting this month, users will also be able to use the assistant during in-person meetings and events on other platforms, such as Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, where it can perform note-taking tasks.
