Harvard’s $699 Startup Bootcamp Introduces AI-Enhanced Avatars for Educators

Harvard Business School is adopting AI avatars to enhance its outreach by providing tailored feedback.

Created by the startup HeyGen, these avatars play a crucial role in the eight-week, $699 HBS Foundry bootcamp aimed at aspiring entrepreneurs. The program includes weekly live sessions with instructors, but the AI avatars are vital for offering insights during practice pitches and board meetings.

Journalist Sarah Kessler from the New York Times experienced this concept firsthand when she pitched her idea to an AI version of Flybridge Capital co-founder Jeff Bussgang. Although neither the actual Bussgang nor his digital likeness showed much interest in her “Uber for bananas” idea, Kessler observed that the virtual avatar maintained an unwavering smile throughout her presentation.

Katharina Rings, the project director, initially envisioned the AI tool as a chatbot. However, after a trial at HBS, students indicated they preferred a more engaging experience.

While some college students are skeptical of AI, those in the Foundry program were excited about the avatars. Bussgang commented that even if his digital counterpart might seem a bit “creepy,” he remarked, “My students love it.”