Harvard Business School Introduces AI Avatars for Feedback in $699 Startup Bootcamp
Harvard Business School is incorporating artificial intelligence avatars into an entrepreneurship program as part of an effort to broaden its educational reach. Developed by the startup HeyGen, the digital avatars give individual evaluations to participants in the school’s eight-week HBS Foundry bootcamp, which costs $699.
What Happened
The HBS Foundry curriculum integrates weekly live sessions led by human instructors with artificial intelligence features. While educators conduct the scheduled weekly meetings, the AI-powered digital replicas take charge of reviewing practice presentations and evaluating simulated board meetings.
The system was put to the test when New York Times reporter Sarah Kessler presented a business concept describing an “Uber for bananas” to an AI copy of Jeff Bussgang, co-founder of Flybridge Capital. According to the report, neither the actual Bussgang nor his virtual counterpart showed enthusiasm for the proposal. Kessler also noted that the simulated avatar maintained a noticeably frozen smile during the presentation.
Katharina Rings, the project director, indicated that the original plan for the AI feature resembled a traditional chatbot. However, student feedback following a trial release showed demand for a more guided learning format, leading to the development of the interactive avatars.
Key Highlights
- Program Format and Price: The HBS Foundry bootcamp runs for eight weeks at a price of $699.
- Technology Partner: The virtual instructor avatars were built by artificial intelligence startup HeyGen.
- Division of Roles: Human faculty lead weekly live sessions, whereas the AI avatars assess practice pitches and conduct mock board meetings.
- Instructor and Student Sentiment: While Bussgang described his virtual likeness as somewhat “creepy,” he noted that students appreciate the tool, an observation reinforced by participants who spoke with Kessler.
Why This Matters
Educational institutions like Harvard Business School are testing artificial intelligence tools as an avenue to scale access and provide tailored feedback across remote programs. Although general student sentiment toward AI in academic environments has included vocal skepticism, participants in the Foundry bootcamp expressed support for the guided avatar experience over basic text interfaces.
What to Watch Next
Observations will likely focus on whether Harvard Business School maintains this combination of weekly live instruction and automated avatar feedback, and whether the interactive model developed from user feedback continues to resonate with incoming cohorts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the HBS Foundry bootcamp?
It is an eight-week entrepreneurship program offered by Harvard Business School priced at $699 that combines live instruction with AI-driven exercises.
Who created the AI avatars used in the course?
The digital instructor avatars were produced by the technology startup HeyGen.
What specific tasks do the AI avatars perform?
The avatars are tasked with delivering feedback during mock board meetings and practice pitch sessions.
Source: Reporting by The New York Times and TechCrunch.