Kono is Konolabs’ AI-powered scheduling bot, driven by a robust engine with machine learning and natural language capabilities. Users can add or cc Kono in their emails, and it will schedule the meeting by sieving through user calendars and preferred timelines.
Kono will check on calendars, sending invites and carrying out email exchanges, and operate across a singular and integrated platform. It locates a specific time-slot from its user’s real-time availabilities, and helps to optimise usage and meeting efficiency.
Kono’s beta version was launched in July, 2016, and since then the product has found rapid expansion, working in tandem with G Suite and Microsoft Office 365 calendar. The product’s enterprise version carries several pricing alternatives, supporting calendar systems, and delivery other advanced features. Kono was made publicly available in a September release, last year.
Unboxing Kono
Kono is billed as an easy-to-use product. Its personal version offers end-to-end meetings and integration possibilities with Gmail and/or Outlook mail, while upgraded additions offer many other upgrades such as meeting room scheduling, advanced security capacities, and customisable domains.
Once signed in, Kono will run the conversation with simplified interaction, bringing in new participants, updating time or location, and adding other additional information. Needless to say, automatic notifications are sent out, once the meeting is set up.
Here are the various elements that can be calibrated on the Kono dashboard: timezones, default locations, lunch breaks, timelines for in-person meetings against conference calling, conference call dial-in numbers, and summary briefing note writing capabilities.
Kono operates on a 3rd party, multilingual text analytics API – Rosette – which helps interpret natural language textual messages. Given its ability for entity extraction, Kono can identify keywords like time or place to suggest best meeting options, naturalising the entire pathway.
Its primary benefits, then, are the following: easy and efficient set-up of meetings with improved timeline management, understanding of natural incoming text (email or messaging), rapid response, 24/7 availability, and easy implementation with simple UI, clutter-breaking to help executives focus on strategic tasks.
Opinions – Is Kono what you need?
As mentioned, Kono comes with several pricing options to suit your needs, from a free personal version, a startup plan for up to 10 team members billed at $99 a month, and even a fully-customisable enterprise package. Given the growing gig economy, Kono could be a great alternative for freelancers and consultants, even providing enterprise-grade data privacy as per regulatory norms. “We’re pleased to have achieved ISO 27001/27018 certifications as it underlines our commitment and focus on security and PII protection,” said YJ Min, CEO of Konolabs.
“It provides our customers with the reassurance that the service user’s data is managed and held securely.”
Like many other virtual assistants, Kono is designed to simple everyday workplace challenges. Given its range of features and easy utilisation, Kono is clearly a value-driver and over time will find wider acceptance. It will also be reimagined by its parent company adding new features, upgrades, and other renditions – making the product more efficient and effective.
