The avatars, developed by the startup HeyGen, offer a scalable solution for individual feedback that traditional teaching models struggle to provide. During a trial, New York Times reporter Sarah Kessler pitched a business plan to a digital version of Flybridge Capital co-founder Jeff Bussgang. Although the AI exhibited a somewhat frozen expression, it mimicked the critical scrutiny of its human counterpart effectively.
In section Startups & Technology
Harvard’s $699 bootcamp deploys AI avatars for student feedback
Harvard Business School is integrating AI avatars into its $699 Foundry bootcamp, tasking digital replicas of instructors with critiquing student pitches. While the eight-week entrepreneurship program retains weekly live sessions, the AI tools handle the heavy lifting during practice board meetings and simulated investor interactions.
Project director Katharina Rings initially designed the AI component as a basic chatbot, but student feedback pushed the school toward a more immersive, guided experience. Despite the uncanny nature of the technology—which Bussgang himself described as slightly "creepy"—participants report a high level of engagement. The shift highlights a growing willingness among elite academic programs to embrace synthetic instructors, even as the broader student population remains skeptical of AI integration in higher education.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!