Zoom’s AI Companion 3.0 goes browser-first as it targets casual users

Zoom is pushing its artificial intelligence ambitions beyond paid workplaces and into the open web.

The company has announced that its AI assistant, known as AI Companion3.0, is now accessible through a browser-based experience and, for the first time, available to users on Zoom’s free tier.

The move signals a strategic shift for Zoom as it works to reposition itself from a video-conferencing tool into a broader productivity platform powered by AI.

Until now, Zoom’s AI features have been largely embedded in its desktop and mobile applications, tightly integrated with paid Zoom Workplace plans.

With the new web-based interface, users can interact with AI Companion directly from a browser, removing the need to launch the Zoom app to access core AI tools.

The web version allows users to chat with the assistant, ask questions about meetings, request summaries, and review action items, all through a familiar conversational interface.

Zoom says the change is designed to make AI Companion easier to use and more discoverable, particularly for casual and first-time users.

Perhaps the most notable change is Zoom’s decision to extend AI Companion access to basic (free) users, a group that historically has had limited access to advanced features.

Free users can now: Generate meeting summaries and key takeaways, automatically identify action items, ask the AI assistant questions during or after meetings, and interact with the assistant via the web interface.

Zoom says free users are limited to 20 AI questions via the side panel and web interface, with a $10 (Sh1,300) monthly add-on available for expanded AI Companion access for heavier usage.

The assistant can help users prepare for meetings, catch up on missed discussions, and organise follow-up work.

Over time, Zoom says it plans to deepen integrations with third-party services such as cloud storage and email platforms, allowing the AI to pull context from documents and conversations beyond Zoom itself.

The company has also hinted at more “agentic” capabilities, where the assistant does not just summarise information but helps execute tasks and automate workflows.

Rivals such as Microsoft Teams and Google Meet have been embedding generative AI deeply into their collaboration suites, often bundling features into higher-priced subscriptions, and Zoom just joined the bandwagon.

Other Topics To Read

• AI
• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Google Meet
• AI Companion3.0
• Zoom Workplace
• Zoom app
• Zoom’s AI Companion 3.0 goes browser-first as it targets casual users
• Technology