Aaron Mok
The Chief Executive Officer of Otter anticipates that by the end of this year, AI avatars will be able to represent employees in meetings. Christophe Testi/ Otter.ai
- Otter’s CEO envisions a future where AI avatars can participate in work meetings on behalf of individuals by the year’s end.
- According to the technology executive, these avatars will possess the ability to mimic the actions, speech, and problem-solving skills of specific employees.
- While the concept of digital work personas could enhance efficiency and save time, it also presents certain challenges.
Individuals in white-collar positions may start questioning the necessity of attending every single one of their scheduled meetings. Sam Liang, the CEO of Otter, who himself juggles up to 10 meetings daily, has pondered this very dilemma.
Imagine if AI avatars, designed to emulate employees in behavior and speech, could virtually stand in for them during meetings. This futuristic scenario might not be as distant as one might think, as per the CEO of the AI-driven transcription software company.
Liang informed Business Insider that a functional prototype could materialize later this year, citing the progress Otter has already achieved in this domain.
Typically, AI models undergo training using specific datasets to simulate human-like behavior. Liang emphasized that AI avatars would need to be trained on the voice data and meeting notes of the individuals they aim to replicate, enabling them to engage in conversations and respond authentically. The goal is for these avatars to mirror the unique cadence and perspectives of individual workers.
Liang expressed confidence that Otter’s AI work persona could proficiently address 90% of queries during meetings. In instances where they encounter challenges with the remaining 10%, these avatars would defer to the human worker with a request for assistance.
If these avatars can effectively represent employees, Liang believes they could enhance productivity by saving time. They could potentially handle meetings related to customer support, sales, and team updates, freeing up employees to focus on more creative endeavors and ultimately driving profitability for companies.
Furthermore, employees could delegate their virtual counterparts to attend meetings occurring during their absence, such as while on vacation.
Nevertheless, the development of reliable AI avatars is fraught with technical and social hurdles.
Liang acknowledged the difficulty in teaching a model the appropriate interaction norms within a group, such as knowing when to speak, listen, or intervene, as meeting dynamics vary based on context. Additionally, imbuing emotional intelligence into AI to discern appropriate responses remains a challenge.
According to Liang, these personas would need to undergo multiple stages of refinement before achieving the desired functionality.
Despite the existing technology to create such avatars, Liang emphasized the complexity of the process. For instance, Character.ai has crafted AI personality chatbots capable of emulating notable figures like Elon Musk, while Meta’s AI assistants can replicate celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Tom Brady.
Otter recently introduced a feature allowing multiple users to query an AI chatbot about recorded meetings, a development Liang views as a stepping stone towards a fully operational AI avatar.
However, the potential integration of avatars in meetings does not signify the obsolescence of traditional gatherings. Liang maintains that meetings remain an effective means of information exchange within companies, with AI serving to expedite the process.
When it comes to personal interactions like meetings with superiors or performance reviews, Liang advises employees to reconsider sending their digital representatives in their place.
“It’s probably best to attend those in person,” he suggested.
