Pickle, a software development company, offers lifelike AI clones that can attend video calls on behalf of users.
Let's face it, our workdays often feel like an endless cycle of meetings. From the SOD (start-of-day) huddles to the EOD (end-of-day) debriefs, it sometimes feels like we spend more time discussing work than actually getting it done.
This isn't just a corporate thing. As journalists, we're no strangers to meetings, debating pitches and dissecting story ideas until everyone agrees or, eventually, gives up. Such is the nature of the game.
But recently, something interesting caught our eye. Pickle, a software development company, posted on X about its lifelike AI clones that can attend video calls on behalf of users while requiring no cameras. These AI avatars lip-sync to users' voices in real time, mirroring their facial expressions and interactions with almost no lag.
This feature, however, comes with a hefty price tag. Pickle's subscription for 15 hours monthly costs around ₹2,000. For someone clocking in four hours of daily meetings, this feels impractical.
This is when we found another such platform, HeyGen. Tempted by the idea of skipping the grind, we decided to sign up and see if it lived up to the hype.
To use this feature, users need to record their voice for 30 minutes and video footage for three minutes with the camera on. Using this input, HeyGen then creates a digital avatar which can attend meetings, take notes, and, perhaps, give users some more time to enjoy their day.
Interestingly, this isn't the first AI-powered twist in video conferencing. Zoom's CEO, Eric S Yuan, previously shared his vision of an AI clone that could join meetings on behalf of attendees. "I can send a digital version of myself to the meeting, freeing me up to hit the beach," Yuan joked during an interview with The Verge.
"There's no need for five or six Zoom calls a day when AI can take care of that for you," he added.
Zoom has already launched Zoom Workplace, an AI-powered platform designed to enhance teamwork and productivity. The platform offers 40 new features such as updates to Zoom AI Companion for Zoom Phone, Team Chat, Events, Contact Center, and the Ask AI Companion feature.
Notably, Zoom has emphasised its commitment to responsible AI. The company claims that none of the users' audio, video, chat, screen sharing, attachments, or other customer content will be used to train Zoom's or third-party AI models.
Cloning isn't exactly new. Deepfakes, for instance, often viewed as a threat, have the potential to drive positive, even transformative, change in business and beyond.
For instance, an animated GIF of Martin Luther King Jr was created using online genealogy platform MyHeritage.com. The GIF, which was made from an image on Wikipedia, serves as an interactive learning tool for students.
Education is embracing AI in several other innovative ways. Stanford researchers have introduced Tutor CoPilot, an AI-powered system built on OpenAI's GPT-4. Integrated with FEV Tutor, the platform connects students with human tutors virtually, bridging the gap between expertise and accessibility. Tutor CoPilot offers tutors "expert-like" insights and enhances their teaching, ultimately making learning more engaging and personalised.
Meanwhile, in the telecommunications industry, AI avatars are stepping in to handle customer interactions. These digital clones respond to queries and note customer concerns, streamlining the process.
For example, Indian telecalling outsourcing partner SquadStack uses AI-driven solutions to revolutionise traditional setups.
The Apple Vision Pro (AVP) and similar other devices are set to profoundly impact our communication, enabling 3D video calls, playback of real-life "memories", and the sharing of immersive experiences.
Tech giants like Meta, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google have already rolled out AI features for the workplace. Now, startups are also joining the race. UK-based startup Artisan AI is on a mission to create advanced human-like digital workers called Artisans.
So far, they have released Ava, a sales representative for Artisan. Ava operates as a business development representative (BDR) who streamlines the entire outbound sales process, requiring only a brief 10-minute conversation for setup.
A similar project was presented on Shark Tank US earlier in 2022. AI productivity platform Beulr enables a person to be virtually present in two places simultaneously.
It looks like we are not that far from the days when we can actually relax during meetings!
