At its recent annual developer conference, Zoom announced an innovative breakthrough: the ability to create photorealistic avatars generated by artificial intelligence, which users can use to send messages to their coworkers and, in the near future, even attend meetings on their behalf. This new functionality, which will be available early next year, promises to change the dynamics of business communication.
### How will Zoom avatars work?
The technology behind this tool allows users to record a video of themselves speaking. From this material, Zoom’s artificial intelligence system will create a digital “clone” that will mimic their appearance, including head, arms, and shoulders. Additionally, this avatar will replicate the user’s voice, allowing for a more authentic and realistic interaction.
Once the avatar is generated, users can type what they want it to say, and Zoom’s AI will synchronize the audio with the avatar’s lip movements. This will make it possible to send video updates to work teams without the need to be present in front of the camera.
### Asynchronous communication and avatars in meetings
Zoom’s main goal with this tool is to facilitate asynchronous communication among work teams. In other words, employees can send personalized messages through their “digital twin” without needing to be in a real-time video call. Furthermore, Zoom’s long-term vision is to enable these avatars to attend meetings on behalf of the user, opening the door to a new way of delegating presence in work meetings.
### Concerns about deepfakes and security measures
While this technology brings exciting advancements in how we communicate, it has also raised concerns about the creation of deepfakes and the potential misuse of these avatars to spread false information. Zoom has assured users that it will implement safeguards, such as advanced authentication and watermarks, to protect the integrity of the tool.
However, other companies in the digital cloning field, such as the startup Tavus, have already taken additional measures to ensure security and prevent abuse. Tavus requires users to provide verbal consent before creating a digital avatar, while Microsoft, which launched a similar digital replica service, requests written permission from users before using the tool.
### The future of meetings without human presence?
While Zoom’s AI avatars seem to have great potential to transform communication in the business environment, they also raise questions about the impact on human interactions. Are we delegating too much to these digital representations? How far can communication virtualization go?
As we approach the launch of this feature, companies and professionals worldwide will need to adapt to this new reality, where artificial intelligence could start replacing physical presence in meetings. What is clear is that Zoom’s evolution and its embrace of AI avatars herald a profound change in how we understand remote work and virtual collaboration.
With this technology set to hit the market in 2024, the corporate world is gearing up for a new era of digital communication, where the “virtual twin” could be the next essential assistant in the office.