GROUP II

NAMES:
1. PATRICK MULI A16/01750/21
2. ANTONY MUTUKU A16/08600/22
3. EMMANUEL MACHARIA A16/08595/22
4. RUTH MONG’ARE A16/08636/22
5.

UNIT TITLE: Virtual Communication

A. How AI powers platforms like Zoom, Microsoft teams and slack focusing on features like real-
time translation, facial recognition and automated transcription.
B. Case studies on specific platforms and how AI enhances user experience.

A. AI has become a fundamental part of communication in platforms like Zoom, Microsoft teams
and slack enhancing user experience with features such as real-time Translation, facial
recognition and automated transcription. These features leverage advanced machine learning
algorithms and natural language processing {NLP} to make interactions more seamless, efficient
and inclusive. Here is a detailed look at how AI powers these platforms.

1. Real-time Translation.
AI powered real-time translation breaks down language barriers allowing users who speak different
languages to smoothly in real-time. The technology behind this involves neural machine translation
{NML} and speech recognition that can transcribe spoken words into text and then translate them into
another language.

Zoom;
Zoom’s real-time translation feature is powered by a machine learning and neural language processing. In
zoom meetings, users can leverage auto-translation features for closed captions in multiple languages.
The system first transcribes spoken words into text and then translate them in real-time making it easier
teams across the world to collaborate despite language difference.

For example, a user in a zoom meeting speaking English can have their words automatically translated
into Spanish or other languages. This feature is particularly useful for multinational organizations or
educational platforms with a global user base.

Microsoft teams;
Microsoft teams offers similar real-time translation and transcription services integrated through
Microsoft’s Azure cognitive services. It uses AI models for both speech-to-text and language translation.
Teams can automatically transcribe meetings and users can opt to have real-time captions in various
languages, including Spanish, French and Japanese. The translation feature helps non-native speakers
participate in meetings without needing an interpreter.

Case study: A global professional service company uses Teams’ translation and transcription features
to support its multicultural teams. By using real-time translation, the company is able to host meetings in
multiple languages fostering a more inclusive work environment and improve team productivity across
regions.

2. Facial Recognition
Facial recognition technology powered by AI can analyze facial expressions movements and other visual
cues to provide insights into user engagement.

Zoom;

In addition to improving the security of its platform, zoom has incorporated AI-driven facial recognition
to optimize the virtual meeting experience. For example, Zoom’s “video filters” feature allows users to
change their appearance using AI-based facial recognition, providing more dynamic and personalized
interactions. In addition, AI helps in detecting whether a user is actively engaged in a meeting by
monitoring facial expressions and eye movements, providing insights to the meeting host about the
attention focus and attention levels.

Microsoft teams;
Microsoft teams uses facial recognition for background effects and meeting security. AI can blur or
replace the user’s background based on facial recognition to ensure privacy during a video call.

Case Study: U.S Department of Veterans Affairs uses Microsoft Teams for health services, leveraging
facial recognition and other AI tools to ensure a secure and efficient virtual care experience for veterans.
AI can help identify and authenticate users during virtual consultations to prevent unauthorized access
and ensure privacy.

3. Automated Transcription.

AI is one of the most useful AI-powered features in platforms like zoom, Microsoft teams and slack as it
allows for accurate and efficient conversion of speech into text. This is achieved using AI-driven speech
recognition and Natural Language Processing models trained to understand various accents, technical
jargon and contextual nuances.

Slack;
It is increasingly using AI to automate aspects of communication and information retrieval. For instance,
when audio or video messages are shared on slack, AI-powered transcription converts these messages into
text making them easier to search and reference later. This makes conversations and searchable, reducing
the need to shift through long threads or video recordings.

Zoom;

Zoom’s AI-driven transcription service automatically converts spoken content in meetings into text.
These transcriptions are stored and can be retrieved by meeting participant after the call. Zoom’s Ails
allows for keyword searchability enabling users to find specific moments within a meeting without
having to watch the entire recording. This is a time-saver and boosts productivity especially for meeting-
heavy organizations.

The AI-powered transcription also integrates with zoom’s language models to provide closed captions in
various languages helping to bridge language gaps in meetings and providing accessibility for hearing-
impaired users.

B. Case studies on AI enhancing Users Experience.

 Zoom in Education: A global education institution like Harvard University uses zoom for its
online courses. With features like real-time translation and automated transcription, non-native
English-speaking students can better follow the lectures, while professors can focus on teaching
rather than interpreting. The added value of automatic captioning makes the platform inclusive
for hearing-impaired students as well.

 Microsoft Teams at Volkswagen; Volkswagen uses Microsoft Teams for its internal
communication and collaboration. AI-driven features like real-time language translation and
transcription are vital in enabling smooth communication across the company’s global workforce,
ensuring that regional teams can seamlessly interact without language being a barrier.

References:
1) Bernard Marr, “Artificial Intelligence in practice: How 50 successful companies used
AI and machine learning to solve problems” [2019].
2) Martin Ford, “Architects of intelligence: The Truth About AI from the People
Building It” {2018}.
3) Andrew Ng, “Machine Learning Yearning” {2018}.
4) Adam Gibson & Josh Patterson, “Deep Learning: A Practitioner’s Approach”
{2017}.
5) Kai-Fu Lee “AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order”
[2018].