What happens to core workplace tools when AI takes over?

The allure of generative AI and AGI have kept many fascinated for a long time. While it's perfectly normal to look at how to reimagine productivity for the future, the true edge is still people-centric collaboration. In other words, industry-agnostic, core workplace tools that have helped us collaborate and innovate are still as important as ever.

In this edition, we'll talk about practical updates just as important as AI. We've increased the capacity to share large resources over calls and meetings. We've also added advanced field types so users have the option to configure and simplify their use of everyday apps.

The fusion of business and productivity apps with AI has always been a top R&D priority. Read on to find out how Zoho develops “right-sized” smaller models under the Zia branding and the use case in the apps.

What we think about AI and our way forward

Quick question for you: With the world of AI constantly evolving, what are your thoughts on AI chatbots, specifically? They seem to be moving from providing simple FAQ responses to understanding multilingual inquiries and handling more complex tasks. Our AI research director, Ramprakash, is on top of advancements like these.

At Zoho, we also consider AI as a big part of our vision. As our chief evangelist, Raju Vegesna, says, the best AI should be so seamless that it enhances users’ experience without them even realising it. Exciting times ahead!

New ways to connect and collaborate

Ever struggled with sharing large files? Not anymore. With Zoho Cliq's peer-to-peer file sharing, you can now share files over 1GB directly in chat, as long as the receiver is online.

While brainstorming or collaborating with your team, the new Breakout Rooms feature in Zoho Meeting allows you to create multiple virtual rooms—all within one large online meeting! Speaking of flexible meeting arrangements, don't forget to check out Zoho Meetings for hybrid work.

For those discussions when you need a bit more privacy, Zoho Connect's private comments feature lets you keep conversations just between the people who need to see them.

Internal support is an important part of business operations. Our latest updates in Zoho Assist include bulk downloading and deletion of session files and simplified file management. We've also enabled Zia integration with session audit reports to provide AI-generated summaries of past sessions. Learn more.

Great news, developers!

We rolled out new services, like Signals, Slate, a NoSQL database, and a CI/CD pipeline in Catalyst. Check it out, so you can further streamline your development and secure your data!

Improved product journeys

Zoho Forms just got a whole lot more interactive with the new Embed field. You can now easily add video and audio links directly to your forms to make them more dynamic and engaging.

Did you know crafting and fine-tuning landing pages from your mobile or tablet is now a breeze? With Zoho LandingPage’s mobile-responsive editor, you can ensure your message stays clear and impactful from any device.

Get more intuitive with apps

Bigin is stepping up its game! From Formula fields for sharper insights to Stage Automation for timely actions, there's a lot more to look forward to.

Celebrating 15 years of our recruitment app

We're celebrating 15 years of Zoho Recruit in 2024. It's been a busy couple of months, but we’ve tried to capture everything you need to know in this latest edition—so dive right in.

That’s it for this month’s updates. Thanks for reading! We’re excited to hear what you think—whether it’s what you want more of, less of, or anything else you’d like to share.

Until next time,

Nicholas Koh at Zoho