Zoom CEO Eric Yuan and Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski are among the tech company leaders who have recently utilized artificial intelligence (AI) avatars during their earnings calls. This trend is gaining traction among executives in the tech industry.
Klarna’s AI Earnings Presentation
Klarna, a buy now, pay later company, showcased an 83-second video summarizing its Q1 2025 results. The AI avatar of Siemiatkowski introduced the presentation by stating, "it’s me, or rather my AI avatar." This marks a continuation of Klarna’s use of AI to communicate earnings.
Zoom’s AI Earnings Call
Similarly, Zoom deployed an AI version of Eric Yuan for its Q1 2026 earnings call. In a video message, Yuan’s avatar remarked, "Today I’m using our custom avatars for Zoom Clips with AIC Companions to share my part of the earnings report." Although Yuan participated live during the Q&A session, he expressed enthusiasm for the use of his AI-generated avatar, stating, "I truly love my AI-for-generated avatar; I think we’re going to continue using that."
Growing Acceptance of Virtual Avatars
The adoption of virtual avatars is becoming more prevalent as technology advances and individuals grow more comfortable interacting with digital representations.
Notable Examples
- In January 2023, Meta Platforms Inc.’s Mark Zuckerberg introduced himself virtually via his Meta Avatar during Facebook’s annual developer conference in San Francisco.
- Tech giants like Google and Microsoft are also developing their own virtual reality (VR) platforms, which could be utilized by executives for future meetings and presentations.
New VR Technologies
- Google announced the launch of its Pixel Headset Series One, starting at $999.
- Microsoft plans to sell its HoloLens augmented reality headset next month, starting at $3,500.
Expert Opinions on Virtual Meetings
Despite the growing trend, some experts question the benefits of virtual meetings. Dr. David Rudderham, professor emeritus in computer science at University College London, noted:
- "Virtual meetings can save you time traveling between locations."
- However, he added, "they don’t reduce carbon emissions because you still need power plants burning fossil fuels somewhere else."
Dr. Rudderham believes that the prevalence of these meetings will increase if governments continue to promote green policies, despite their limited impact on climate change. He stated, "Governments are pushing green policies but they’re just virtue signaling. They’re doing nothing about real problems like nuclear waste disposal." He advocates for the construction of nuclear power stations as a more effective solution.
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