AI coming for video conferencing

By: CHARIS NICHOLAS

In an era defined by remote work and digital interactions, video conferencing has emerged as a powerful communication tool for businesses and individuals alike.

According to a Grand View Research study, the global video conferencing market is predicted to be worth nearly R400-billion ($19.7-billion) by 2030. 

Thanks to features like real-time analysis of video and audio streams and data analytics, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly enhanced remote collaboration, improved user experience and video quality while enabling intelligent features and providing invaluable insights.

As organisations continue to embrace hybrid work structures, ensuring meaningful interactions remains paramount. AI’s increasing integration into video conferencing will continue to provide avenues for companies and organisations to cleverly bridge geographical gaps while also simulating the dynamics of in-person communication and boosting efficiency.

Giving digital meetings an in-person touch:

The integration of AI into video conferencing platforms like the Logitech Sight has significantly improved the user experience for remote participants. AI-powered hardware and software help intelligently capture the best perspective of meeting participants and track conversations as they move around the conference room. This in turn helps address the concerns many remote participants have about not feeling included when meeting with in-office colleagues.

_{Charis Nicholas, head of high touch at Logitech Southern Africa.}

Knowledge is efficiency:

AI-powered, equitable meetings will become the new gold standard for video conferencing. Without multiple cameras and smart AI to find the best angles and cameras, meetings will look outdated. Workplaces across the world got comfortable with video in early 2020, and since then, expectations have evolved significantly. 

Remote workers who still struggle to see their in-office colleagues in the conference room will soon start asking for smarter meeting technology. If they don’t, it could point to a lack of engagement in hybrid meetings. We are rapidly moving to an AI-powered multi-camera world of working and conferencing, and 2024 will be the year these hit the mainstream.

One of the most important contributions of AI to remote collaboration is its ability to mine vast amounts of data generated during video conferences. 

Thanks to AI we are now able to track usage patterns, meeting duration, participant engagement, and shared content. Intelligent automation software like Logitech’s RightSense, which is comprised of RightSight, RightLight and RightSound, RightSense can help video conferencing feel more natural and inclusive. 

This software works with the Logitech Rally Bar and an AI viewfinder to work like a second camera that is purely dedicated to tracking human figures in real time. This AI technique enhances the precision of the auto-framing feature and the camera control. It does this automatically, detecting people, optimising voices and ensuring everyone always looks their best when on camera even when participants are joining a meeting late or moving around while making a presentation.

The fusion of AI and video conferencing technology marks a significant milestone in the evolution of remote collaboration. This synergy has the power to create improved user experiences, higher-quality video interactions, and the ability to glean valuable insights from data. When viewed through this lens, it is clear that AI has the potential to continue to reshape how we communicate for the better. It is now just up to us to embrace it.