Run Better Zoom Meetings: From Basics to AI Companion

Zoom is a practical, convenient tool for scheduling and conducting online meetings. This beginner-friendly session covers essential Zoom features for hosting productive, interactive meetings, including scheduling, key settings, chat, participants, screen sharing, annotation, etiquette, and recordings.

The session also introduces Zoom AI Companion features that can improve productivity and accessibility, including Meeting Summary, in-meeting questions, and Smart Recording.

By the end of this session, you will be guided through:  

• Scheduling and hosting meetings using core tools: audio and video, participant controls, chat (public vs private), screen sharing, and annotation  
• Reviewing and adjusting meeting settings that support facilitation and security, including host controls and participant permissions  
• Starting a recording and navigating common cloud recording tasks, including locating, sharing, and editing Zoom-generated captions  
• Trying AI Companion during a meeting: starting and stopping Meeting Summary, using in-meeting questions, and reviewing AI outputs before sharing

Topics covered:

• Overview: What is Zoom?  
• Logging in with your Stanford account in the browser or Zoom app  
• Updating your Zoom profile (including pronouns and display name considerations)  
• Personal Meeting ID vs scheduled meeting links  
• Scheduling a meeting and key meeting settings  
• Facilitating an effective meeting  
  • Audio and video settings  
  • Virtual backgrounds  
  • Managing participants  
  • Chat: public vs private  
  • Screen sharing and annotation
• Meeting etiquette and facilitation tips  
• Recording and captions  
  • Cloud recording basics  
  • Locate, share, download (as permitted)  
  • Review and update captions  
• Zoom AI Companion overview and Stanford-specific setup  
  • AI Companion is off by default on Stanford Zoom accounts  
  • Enable features in the Stanford Zoom web portal using feature-specific instructions
  • Meeting Summary: start, stop, share, and manage summaries in the web portal (requires 5.14.2+)  
  • Ask in-meeting questions: use preset and custom questions, limits (not supported in Breakout Rooms)  
  • Smart Recording: smart chapters, highlights, next steps, meeting analytics (requires 5.16.5+)  
  • Tips and tricks: prompting for better summaries, picking the right meetings to summarize, catching up quickly

Prerequisites:  

• A Stanford Zoom account and the ability to sign in via SSO  
• Zoom desktop app installed or access via a supported browser  
• Zoom app version 5.14.2+ for Meeting Summary and 5.16.5+ for Smart Recording  
• A computer with stable internet, audio, and an optional camera