We explore the pros and cons of sending HeyGen's new Interactive Avatar to Zoom calls.

Do you remember the early days of the pandemic when lockdown had us all going a bit stir crazy, and some farms started offering up their animals to join your Zoom meetings? Llamas, goats, and even the odd donkey making cameos to liven up those endless virtual calls.

For a split second, I considered booking one to lift moral lifting for my team in the UK Cabinet Office. But then my news sense kicked in—cue the imaginary Daily Mail headline: “UK Government Invites Goat to Virtual Meeting.” Best not I decided.

Now, fast forward a few years, and we’ve gone from animal cameos to AI avatars in meetings. When I first heard that HeyGen had developed an interactive avatar that could join your Zoom calls, I was sceptical. But curiosity got the better of me, and after exploring the pros and cons, I have to admit: they might just be the digital assistant we never knew we needed.

Pros of Using Interactive Avatars in Communications and Marketing

1. Always On, Always Available These avatars can attend multiple meetings at the same time—perfect for those repetitive tasks like FAQs or onboarding. While you're focusing on big-picture stuff, the avatar’s working 24/7.
2. Consistency Every Time Avatars don’t forget scripts or go off-message. They deliver the same clear, consistent information, and even take notes—ideal for keeping everyone on the same page.
3. Cost-Saving. The avatar can handles some of the mundane, freeing up your team and budget for more important things.
4. Languages Whether you're running an international campaign or supporting global clients, your avatar can switch between languages faster than you can say “bonjour.”

Cons of Using Interactive Avatars

1. No Human Touch While avatars are brilliant for routine chats, they lack that human warmth. Not ideal for delicate conversations or those tricky customer complaints.
2. Tech Glitches Still a bit clunky in some areas—lags or an unnatural voice can spoil the magic. It's good, but not perfect just yet.
3. Set-up Can Be a Faff Getting the avatar aligned with your brand voice takes time. You’ll need to put in some work up front for it to feel like a seamless part of your team.
4. Privacy Concerns Recording meetings might make people uneasy, and you'll need to stay on top of data protection laws to avoid any legal headaches.

So, has anyone tried using interactive avatars yet? Would you consider inviting one to your next meeting, or do you think it’s a bit too risky? I’d love to hear your thoughts—drop me a comment and let me know where you stand on this new tech!

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