AI Companion Mistake

[MC1373]

I pay for Zoom.  I host Zoom meetings.  I use the AI Companion on all my Zoom meetings.

I also am a guest on other people's Zoom meetings.  I have the option to ask them to enable AI Companion but I have no access to the summary if they accept.  Why would Zoom leave out such a powerful and useful option?  I can understand not making it available to non paying Zoom participants but come on!

[iambobsat]

Hi, 

Thanks for reaching out! You're raising a valid point, and your frustration is understandable.

The AI Companion's features, including meeting summaries and transcripts, are tied to the host’s account settings and permissions, not individual participants. Here's why:

1. Data Ownership and Privacy:
   • Zoom treats the meeting host as the "owner" of the meeting's data. This includes recordings, transcripts, and summaries.
   • Even if you're a paying Zoom user with AI Companion, the responsibility for enabling and sharing those features lies with the host. This ensures privacy compliance and gives hosts control over meeting content.
2.  Host-Enabled Features:
   • AI Companion only works for meetings where the host’s account has the feature enabled. If you're a guest, you're subject to the settings and permissions of the host’s account.
   • This design avoids potential conflicts where multiple participants with AI Companion might generate and access summaries without the host’s consent.
3.   Zoom’s Focus on Collaboration and Consent:
   • By leaving access in the hands of the host, Zoom ensures that summaries and transcripts are generated and shared only with explicit permission, creating trust in collaborative environments. Why Doesn’t Zoom Make an Exception for Paying Guests?
     • Paying User vs. Host Role: Even though you're a paying Zoom customer, the host role dictates who controls meeting features. It's less about subscription levels and more about maintaining control within the meeting hierarchy.
     • Technical Limitations: For AI Companion to generate summaries for you as a guest, Zoom would need to process meeting data across multiple accounts, which might introduce security or privacy complexities.

       What You Can Do:

       Encourage Hosts to Share
       • Politely ask the host to share the AI Companion summary with you post-meeting if they have it enabled.
       • As a paying user, you can explain how useful it would be to your collaboration.

         As a host and paying user, you have the ability to: