KUALA LUMPUR: US-based Zoom Video Communications Inc is enhancing its focus on driving domestic businesses towards digital transformation by harnessing artificial intelligence (AI).
Head of Asia Lucas Lu said Zoom’s mission is to unlock new levels of productivity and operational excellence for local companies, empowering businesses to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
He described today’s workforce as a “multigenerational one” with human interactions evolving due to new dynamics.
“We now have up to five different generations working side by side. Their priorities, expectations and experiences are obviously different, so what they value from an employer is going to be different as well,” Lu told SunBiz.
He noted that in Malaysia, millennials and Gen Zs are expected to make up 70% of the workforce by 2025.
“To address this collaboration paradox, business leaders must remember that human connection is at the core. They need to reimagine how their teams communicate and collaborate amid these changing workplace dynamics,” Lu added.
He said AI can reshape teamwork and usher in a new era of collaboration by addressing time-consuming tasks like sending meeting summaries and updates or organising information, which can inadvertently impact productivity.
For local companies, he said, a good example is Zoom AI Companion which enhances virtual meetings by providing summaries with action items and next steps based on real-time transcription during the meeting.
“This AI feature allows participants to focus on discussions without missing details, offering personalised next steps and action items for efficient follow-ups. Integrated seamlessly into Zoom Workplace, the AI Companion meeting summary streamlines workflows and boosts engagement,” Lu said.
Zoom Workplace is an AI-powered collaboration platform that can help local businesses streamline communications, increase employee engagement, optimise in-person time and improve productivity.
“In a diverse market like Malaysia, having a tool like Zoom AI Companion that supports multiple languages, including Malay, and enables communication across geographies will be a gamechanger for workplace collaboration — even more so in Malaysia given that it is a ‘melting pot’ of various groups and cultures,” Lu said.
This inclusivity, he added, helps make teamwork more meaningful, driving higher levels of productivity and employee engagement. It also empowers employees to focus on decision-making, creative ideation, and activities that impact the business.
Lu highlighted that Zoom’s customers include Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading superapp, which uses Zoom AI Companion for meetings and whiteboard.
“We believe that the benefits of AI should be available to as many people as possible, without organisations having to pay a premium per user or have a minimum number of seats to gain access. This is why we include AI Companion at no additional cost with the paid services in Zoom accounts,“ Lu said, although he added that it may not be available for all regions or industry verticals.
Lu is optimistic about Malaysia’s business process outsourcing (BPO) market.
According to Statista, revenue in the BPO market is projected to reach US$1.44 billion (RM6.37 billion) in 2024 and grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 6.36% from 2024 to 2029.
“Since Malaysia is a growing BPO market in the region, there is demand for easy-to-use AI tools like ours to help local organisations strengthen their customer relationships and help their agents be more productive, ultimately leading to higher-quality customer experiences,” Lu said.
He added that Malaysia continues to be an important market for Zoom.
“We are focused on supporting our teams and operations in the region to better serve our growing customers here and build up our partner ecosystem.
“We see great opportunity in helping more businesses digitally transform by reimagining customer and employee experiences with our platform, and will continue to support the growing enterprise and SMB segments across multiple industries, including banking, healthcare and education, as well as government and citizen services,” Lu said.
