Harvard’s $699 startup bootcamp offers AI avatars of its instructors
In the HBS Foundry program, AI avatars provide feedback during practice pitches and board meetings.
As Harvard Business School looks to broaden its reach, the institution is turning to AI avatars to offer personalized feedback. Developed by the startup HeyGen, these digital representations of instructors are incorporated into an eight-week, $699 HBS Foundry bootcamp for aspiring entrepreneurs. During the program, students engage in live sessions with instructors each week, yet it is the AI avatars that provide feedback during practice pitches and board meetings.
To gain firsthand experience, New York Times reporter Sarah Kessler participated in the program by pitching an AI-generated version of Jeff Bussgang, co-founder of Flybridge Capital. Both the real Bussgang and his digital counterpart were reportedly unimpressed by Kessler's concept of "Uber for bananas." However, Kessler noted that the virtual version exhibited a peculiarly static smile during her presentation.
Project director Katharina Rings had initially envisioned the AI aspect as more akin to a chatbot. Yet, after a trial version was released, students expressed a desire for a more guided experience. While some college students have openly expressed their reservations about AI, Foundry participants apparently appreciate the avatars. Jeff Bussgang, the subject of her pitch, admitted that his digital persona may be a bit "creepy," but he noted that his students "love it."
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