Harvard Business School is incorporating AI avatars to enhance its educational offerings.
Developed by a startup named HeyGen, these avatars are part of the HBS Foundry bootcamp for entrepreneurs, which lasts eight weeks and costs $699. While the program features weekly live sessions with instructors, the AI avatars are responsible for giving feedback on practice pitches and board meetings.
A reporter from the New York Times, Sarah Kessler, tested the system by pitching to an AI version of Jeff Bussgang, a co-founder of Flybridge Capital. Although both the real Bussgang and his digital counterpart found her idea of an “Uber for bananas” lacking, Kessler noted that the virtual avatar maintained a strangely fixed expression throughout her presentation.
Katharina Rings, the project director, initially thought the AI would function more as a chatbot. However, feedback from students after a trial run indicated a preference for a more interactive experience.
While some students have been critical of AI, those in the Foundry program expressed a liking for the avatars. Bussgang remarked that while his digital twin might come off as a bit “creepy,” he added, “My students love it.”
