Artificial intelligence is no longer simply powering your go-to apps or performing back-office functions—it’s coming into the boardroom. In a plot twist that could be a page out of a sci-fi novel, certain high-profile tech CEOs are now using AI avatars—computerized representations of themselves—to navigate high-stakes moments like earnings announcements and investor presentations.
Here’s a closer look at how this trend is evolving, why it’s happening, and why it’s making eyebrows rise in both the tech and financial communities.
Klarna and Zoom: CEOs Go Digital
Klarna, the buy-now-pay-later behemoth, has been especially keen on AI. CEO and co-founder Sebastian Siemiatkowski recently had an AI-created version of himself announce Klarna’s first-quarter 2025 results. In an 83-second clip, the avatar welcomed viewers to the artificial reality with a nod to its simulated existence, explaining, “It’s me, or rather, my AI avatar.” Klarna isn’t messing around with AI—it’s leveraging it to automate processes and cut staff.
Zoom is hot on its heels. CEO Eric Yuan employed his own AI avatar to talk during the company’s Q1 2026 earnings call. Designed using Zoom’s software—Zoom Clips and AI Companion—Yuan’s digital doppelganger assured investors, “I am proud to be among the first CEOs to use an avatar in an earnings call.” He also pointed to Zoom’s emphasis on trust and security, guaranteeing that there are robust defenses in place to avoid abuse and defend against user identity.
The Technology That Powers the Avatars
Zoom’s avatar technology was crafted via Zoom Clips, an asynchronous video function now available to customers. Yuan has long believed in “digital twins” — AI-powered surrogates that can replace people in meetings and presentations. The tech is getting better, but it’s not there yet. In Klarna’s example, slow blinks and slight voice syncing issues still give away the fact that it’s not the person.
The Broader Trend: More Than Just a Gimmick
They’re not alone. Swiss financial giant UBS has started sending AI avatars of its analysts to customers. The videos, made in collaboration with OpenAI and Synthesia, are used to communicate updates on research. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has also used AI avatars to launch products since 2021. And Otter’s CEO is also reportedly making an avatar to help him cope with his workload.
Brian Jackson, research director at Info-Tech Research Group, says it is an organic evolution of AI within business. What started out as basic chatbots has evolved to digital avatars that can represent people in real time. It’s all in the pursuit of bettering the way people interact with technology.
Regulatory and Security Concerns
But, of course, as with most technologies, it costs something. Currently, the U.S. has no particular laws regarding the application of AI avatars. The SEC does make businesses disclose the use of AI, and the FTC monitors fraudulent schemes, but most states use general impersonation statutes. There is also the “Take It Down Act,” specifically focusing on graphic deepfakes, but it won’t regulate uses in business. In the EU, the AI Act requires companies to clearly state when something has been created or rewritten by AI, but others believe it’s still not strict enough.
Taras Tymoshchuk of Geniusee states that in the majority of countries, there is no legal ground to apply AI avatars in critical cases like business talks or financial reports. It’s uncertain who can be held accountable if an avatar gives mistaken information. And if people find out that they’ve been discussing with an avatar without knowing, that could be seen as misleading, especially in a high-trust business.
From a cybersecurity point of view, Ben Colman, Reality Defender CEO, perceives an even larger problem. He cautions that making AI avatars commonplace in high-stakes communication might leave the door open to deepfake fraud and other types of digital impersonation.
The Future of Executive Communication
Forward-looking, AI avatars could be most valuable for straightforward, mundane tasks, such as internal communiques or standard presentations. But with high-stakes communication such as earnings reports or official statements, experts advise companies to handle avatars in the same careful way they would a live spokesperson: with caution. As the boundary between actual and virtual leaders continues to dissolve, companies will need to find an equilibrium between efficiency and the requirements for trust, intelligibility, and security.
These AI proxies are improving day by day. But the question on everyone’s mind is this: Will humans embrace them as the face of corporate leadership? Until now, that is, the world has been looking at the early adopters, watching and waiting to observe how the rules will change.