Zoom is pushing its platform far beyond video calls with a series of new AI-driven features, including the addition of photorealistic avatars to Zoom Workplace. Announced at the company’s Zoomtopia developer conference, the avatars will mimic users’ live video feeds in real time, creating a lifelike digital stand-in that moves with their gestures. While not a replacement for showing up to a meeting, the feature aims to make participants look present and engaged even if they aren’t camera-ready.
Alongside avatars, Zoom is rolling out live voice translation, a capability that rivals like Microsoft and Google have been testing in their platforms. Microsoft’s demonstrations so far have been limited to a handful of languages, while Google Meet currently supports only Spanish. Zoom hasn’t confirmed how many languages will be available, but the feature is scheduled for a December launch.
Video quality is also getting an upgrade. While Zoom still won’t support full 1440p or 4K video streams, it will allow 1080p cameras to run at 60Hz for smoother, more natural-looking video. Additionally, users will be able to share content in 4K for the first time. Other upgrades include AI-powered scheduling and room management through “Zoomie,” the platform’s new group assistant, which can help coordinate meeting times, fetch documents, and check action items. Collectively, these updates continue Zoom’s evolution from a simple video conferencing tool to a full-fledged workplace ecosystem.
