Harvard’s $699 startup bootcamp offers AI avatars of its instructors
Source: TechCrunch ↗
Harvard Business School’s eight‑week Foundry bootcamp, priced at $699, now incorporates AI avatars that deliver individualized feedback to participants during practice pitches and simulated board meetings. The avatars, generated by the startup HeyGen, serve as virtual stand‑ins for real instructors, offering critique and guidance while the program still includes live weekly sessions with human faculty. New York Times reporter Sarah Kessler tested the system by pitching an AI‑rendered version of Flybridge Capital co‑founder Jeff Bussgang, only to receive a lukewarm response from both the real Bussgang and his digital counterpart, the latter displaying a “noticeably frozen smile” as she outlined her “Uber for bananas” concept.
The inclusion of AI avatars reflects HBS’s broader strategy to broaden its educational reach by leveraging technology for scalable, personalized instruction. Project director Katharina Rings initially imagined the AI component functioning more like a chatbot, but student feedback from an early trial prompted a shift toward a more guided, interactive experience. While some college students have voiced skepticism toward AI tools, participants in the Foundry program reported a generally positive reception, appreciating the avatars’ ability to provide consistent, on‑demand critique that complements the live faculty sessions.
Jeff Bussgang, whose digital likeness was used in the experiment, described the avatar as “a little creepy” but noted that his own students have embraced the technology. The bootcamp’s promotional offer—allowing prospective attendees to save up to $300 on tickets if they enroll within 48 hours—underscores the program’s push to attract entrepreneurs eager for a hybrid learning model that blends traditional mentorship with cutting‑edge AI assistance.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Trading partners on the other side of the world might feel a distant nudge.
- ▶Growth projections drawn up in distant capitals may need a rethink.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶High street footfall and spending can shift subtly after news like this.
- ▶Everyday costs in your town may drift as the wider economy reacts.
🏦Rates & Bankslow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Savers might glance at their account rate — lenders adjust after big events.
- ▶Your loan or mortgage rate is more likely to drift than to lurch here.
❤️Healthlow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Community spirit usually steadies nerves when headlines feel unsettling.
- ▶The strain, if any, tends to show up gradually in everyday life.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Savings and portfolios can see short-lived ups and downs after this kind of news.
- ▶Keeping perspective on your timeline usually beats reacting to any single story.
🏠Housingmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶A patient seller usually fares better than one rushing to react to headlines.
- ▶A slow-moving market like housing rarely reacts overnight.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.