RingCentral is getting a major AI-flavored upgrade

RingCentral UCaaS
(Image credit: RingCentral)

In order to address the challenges faced by teams working in a hybrid world, RingCentral has announced a number of new capabilities for RingCentral MVP (Message Video Phone).

One of the most exciting new features is live transcription which leverages AI to allow RingCentral to automatically transcribe entire meeting conversations. The company's new transcription capabilities will also help those that are hearing impaired stay engaged with the conversation.

Managing multiple meetings can be difficult which is why RingCentral is launching meeting summaries to provide users with a recap of the conversation and an auto-generated short-form summary, video highlight reel and keywords. This in addition to live transcription and full recording of meetings so that users can quickly find keywords for discussion points without having to read or watch the entire recording.

RingCentral is also adding its new infinite whiteboard feature that makes it possible for users to visually illustrate ideas through free form drawing, virtual sticky notes, uploading images and annotating over content that can be shared after meetings. The infinite part of the name refers to the fact that the company is giving users infinite space on the whiteboard enabling them to keep scrolling and adding drawings or images without any constraints. Thankfully though, a built-in mini map helps participants keep track of where they are on the whiteboard at all times.

Live transcription, meeting summaries and whiteboard will be generally available to all RingCentral customers in the first quarter of next year. 

Next-gen analytics

RingCentral is also bringing next-gen analytics to its online collaboration platform to deliver breakthrough insights for line of business use cases. As the company was born in the cloud, its platform includes powerful built-in analytics that will be available in a single pane of glass enabling customers to make business decisions in just a few clicks.

At the same time, line of business managers can now enhance their team's performance and business impact using analytics. RingCentral's new line of business analytics provides users with visibility into communications data on a rich customizable dashboard and reporting interface. However, there are also open APIs to help build key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to their business. Next-gen analytics are available now upon request and will be generally available during the first quarter of next year.

To make it easier to share content, RingCentral is one of the first Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) providers to offer sharing in a meeting via a smartphone's rear camera within the RingCentral app. This feature is scheduled to roll out during Q4 of this year.

Finally, RingCentral is expanding RingCentral Room capabilities by creating a no-touch environment where users will be able to seamlessly share content, switch from their devices to a meeting room, place phone calls in meeting rooms and connect existing room systems to RingCentral's video meetings.

Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.