The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign enabled the Zoom AI Companion for all users on Dec. 20, 2024. The tool includes features like meeting summaries, in-meeting queries and smart recordings to enhance collaboration.

Key features of Zoom AI Companion

Meeting Summary Creation: AI Companion can generate and send a summary to designated participants after the meeting. By default, only the host receives this summary.
In-Meeting Questions: Participants can ask about previous meeting details, such as discussion summaries or mentions of individuals.
Smart Recording: Generates highlights, smart chapters, transcriptions, next steps and meeting coach content.

These features are disabled by default and can be managed in Zoom settings at illinois.zoom.us/profile/setting.

Freedom of Information Act considerations

As a public institution, the university adheres to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which allows public access to records unless exempted. Transcripts and summaries are public records and may be subject to FOIA requests. Handle these tools with care and awareness of their implications.

Best practices

Seek Consent: Always obtain consent from participants before enabling summarization or transcription.
Be Informed: Familiarize yourself with the university’s FOIA policies to ensure compliance.
Be Mindful of Content: Avoid sharing sensitive information, as it may be publicly disclosed under FOIA.

For more information on FOIA, visit the Illinois Freedom of Information Act System webpage.

For additional details, read the article about Zoom AI Companion features here.

If you have questions or concerns, email consult@illinois.edu.