NewsUC&C25 Aug 2023 · 4 min read

Big UC News from Zoom, Microsoft, Otter.AI, Slack and Gamma

Zoom, Microsoft, Otter.ai, Slack and Gamma updates matter for buyers seeking AI, Teams Rooms, Zoom Phone and cyber security.

Kieran Devlin

UC news: Zoom, Microsoft, Otter.AI, Slack, Gamma

Zoom Results: Gen AI and Zoom Phone Take Centre Stage

AI and Zoom Phone were front and centre of Zoom's Q2 earnings call as the vendor posted year-over-year revenue growth.

Q2 revenues grew year over year by 3.6 percent to $1.14 billion, with Eric S. Yuan, Zoom CEO, highlighting AI-powered solutions — including Zoom IQ Meeting Summary, Zoom Intelligent Director and Team Chat Compose — that help add "value and enhanced productivity to our customers" as prominent operational highlights.

Yuan also cited Zoom's hiring of Dr XD Huang, Microsoft's former Azure AI CTO, as Zoom's new CTO earlier this summer. Yuan commented:

Dr. XD joins us at an optimal moment in our AI journey. In the past few months, we brought several new AI innovations to the market and announced an aggressive roadmap aimed at empowering our customers to work smarter and serve their customers better. And, as we develop and deploy AI solutions, we strongly believe that technology should advance trust."

There was also a significant milestone for Zoom Phone, with Zoom CFO Kelly Steckelberg reporting that Zoom Phone reached around $0.5 billion in annualised run rate revenue.

Teams Rooms Introduces 'Biggest Release of the Year' and Bing Chat Enterprise Enters Preview for More M365 Licences

Microsoft has updated Teams Rooms with its "biggest release of the year".

The solution, specifically its Pro version, has been enhanced with a whole suite of new features for Windows v4.18, including Cloud IntelliFrame to empower non-AI cameras to become more intelligent and upgrades to the Front Row gallery — such as a unified background for remote participants so they appear in the same room and immersive spatial audio.

"I am so excited about this release!" enthused Greg Baribault, Head of Product for Microsoft Teams Rooms on LinkedIn. "Teams Rooms for Windows v4.18 is our biggest release of the year, including four features that I think you'll really love."

These features are generally available now for Teams Rooms Pro customers.

In other Microsoft news this week, Bing Chat Enterprise is now available in preview for a range of Microsoft 365 licences.

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that Microsoft 365 A3 and A5 now have access to the generative AI-powered tool and E3, E5, Business Standard and Business Premium.

Bing Chat Enterprise was unveiled at Microsoft Inspire 2023, adding Microsoft's AI-powered chat tool to the business sector. Initially available in Microsoft Edge for consumers, Bing Chat now centres on offering secure communication solutions for businesses.

Otter.ai Launches AI-Powered Slack App

Otter.ai has announced a generative AI-powered app for Slack that provides services like transcription and meeting insights.

With the integration of Otter and Slack, users can quickly bring voice and text communication together, enabling better collaboration and productivity.

Sam Liang, Co-Founder and CEO of Otter.ai, commented:

For too long, there have been two separate modes of communication at work – using text via Slack and email and using voice in meetings via conference rooms or virtual conferencing tools like Zoom. Otter for Slack is the first step in unifying voice and text communication between meetings and Slack – providing conversation continuity among team members."

The primary feature of the integration is Otter's AI-powered meeting assistant, which the company claims can transcribe over one million spoken words per minute. With the Slack integration, Otter users can automatically share meeting insights within their Slack channels.

Gamma Strengthens Cyber Security Offering with Satisnet Acquisition

Gamma has acquired Satisnet to strengthen its cybersecurity offering.

Satisnet is a managed security services provider (MSSP) and a cyber security consultancy with a proven track record in the industry. Furthermore, it is a leading provider of cyber security solutions and services to UK and European businesses.

"Recognising the increasing significance of cyber security, we are excited to enhance our portfolio with the expertise and solutions on offer," said David Macfarlane, Managing Director at Gamma Enterprise. "This enables us to cater to the growing needs of our expanding enterprise and public sector community, providing them with comprehensive security solutions to safeguard their digital infrastructure."

Gamma believes Satisnet can provide its customers with “comprehensive and robust” cyber security solutions that protect their critical assets, sensitive data, and corporate reputation.

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