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Top 5+ AI Avatar Generation Tools Based on 3,600 Reviews in 2024

AI avatars, virtual 3D models that look like humans, have become more realistic with the rise of deep learning and availability of millions of hours of footage showing every detail of the human body and face.

There is a growing body of evidence that humans respond more favorably to the human face and companies are starting to take advantage of using an AI avatar. It is expected that, by 2025, 70% of digital and marketing communications will be supported by AI avatars using generative AI.1

Top 5+ AI avatar generation tools

VendorReviews# of EmployeesStarting price/user/monthFree TrialFree Plan
Synthesia4.7/5 based on 1,213 reviews320$221 free video generation
Hippo Video4.5/5 based on 706 reviews98$20
Picsart4.5/5 based on 507 reviews1,204$5
HeyGen4.8/5 based on 503 reviews41$24
Veed.io4.6/5 based on 352 reviews207$12
Fotor4.6/5 based on 342 reviews21$3.33

The table above is sorted based on the number of reviews. Sources:

  • B2B user reviews: Capterra and G2.
  • The number of employees: LinkedIn.
  • Pricing: The vendor websites.

Vendor selection criteria

We optimized our selection based on these criteria:

  1. Number of reviews: We prioritized vendors with at least 300 reviews from B2B review platforms G2 and Capterra since the higher number of B2B reviews refers to strong presence in the AI avatar generator market. 
  2. Average review ratings: Higher review ratings obtained from B2B review platforms shows higher user satisfaction. We included vendors with at least 4.5 average ratings.

Key features of AI Avatar generation tools

VendorKey Features
Synthesia
Training video generation Swift and easy AI video generation Auto-generated close captions
Hippo Video
Document to video generation Video analytics Virtual background Custom video editing
Picsart
Sketch AI generation AI logo generation Advanced video and photo editing
HeyGen
AI voice generation Video translation Easy to use and customizable video templates
Veed.ioSubtitle and transcription generation
AI camera eye contact
Music visualizer
Fotor
Enhancing videos and photos with AI Wide selection of AI avatars

Detailed explanation of key features

Synthesia

Swift and easy AI avatar generation: With Synthesia, users can create AI generated avatar videos quickly and easily with its user friendly interface. See Figure 1.

Figure 1: Synthesia user review on Capterra.2

Training video generation: Synthesia enables its users to generate engaging training videos with AI avatars. See Figure 2.

Figure 2: Synthesia user review on Capterra.3

Auto-generated close captions: Synthesia allows its users to automatically generate captions in 39+ languages for personalized avatar videos. With the video translation feature, users can translate subtitles and voice overs, download and add them into their engaging videos. 

Hippo Video

Document to video generation: Hippo Video enables its users to convert PPTs and PDFs into interactive AI avatar narrated videos. 

Video analytics: Users can analyze video engagement metrics of their custom avatar videos, get insights from user activity, share and track performance metrics. See Figure 3.

Figure 3: Hippo Video user review on G2.4

Virtual background: Users can integrate virtual backgrounds to their AI avatar generated videos to promote a more formal setup.5

Custom video editing: Hippo videos enables both basic and advanced editing options including video trimming and adding texts, integrating images and voice overs to your videos with advanced AI technology. See Figure 4.

Figure 4: Hippo Video user review on Capterra.6

Picsart

Sketch AI: With Picsart’s Sketch AI art generator,, users can transform their basic sketch drawings into AI enhanced images.7

AI logo generation: Users can generate personal brand logos with Picsart’s artificial intelligence logo generator based on user input including their brand name and their industry. 
Advanced video and photo editing: Picsart enables photo editing features with AI photo enhancing, background changing and photo effects. Users can also edit their videos by adding audio and text to their videos and generate subtitles.8

HeyGen

AI voice generation: HeyGen enables its users to select from 300+ voices in 40+ languages to be integrated with their custom avatars. Users can also customize and create avatars by recording their own voices.9

Video translation: With HeyGen, users can translate their AI generated videos to +40 languages by cloning their own voice. See Figure 5. 

Figure 5: HeyGen user review on Capterra.10

Easy to use and customizable video templates: HeyGen allows a wide selection of easy to use and customizable video templates for content creation with AI avatars.11

Veed.io

Subtitle and transcription creation: Veed provides auto-generated subtitle and transcription with personalization and animation options to reach out your target audience with your videos. See Figure 6.

Figure 6: Veed.io user review on Capterra.12

AI camera eye contact: Veed’s AI powered eye contact feature allows its users to redirect their eyes to the camera to increase engagement with their audience.13

Music visualizer: Veed’s music visualizing feature allows adding dynamic visual effects to videos by integrating animated sound waves. 

Fotor

Enhancing videos and photos with AI: Fotor’s AI technology increases video and photo quality by automatically correcting sharpness and brightness. See Figure 7.

Figure 7: Fotor user review on Capterra.14

Wide selection of AI avatars: Fotor’s AI avatar generator provides a wide selection of AI avatar styles including gaming avatars, cartoon and anime avatars, brand avatars, or custom AI avatars directly generated from the user’s photo.

What is an AI avatar?

AI avatar, also known as a digital avatar, are human-like bots that are created by AI-powered technology to increase human interaction. AI avatars are designed to mimic human-like qualities including different facial expressions, human behaviors and interactions. These avatars can be cartoon-like or have more sophisticated and more realistic designs.

Humans often find it more comfortable and intuitive to interact with entities that exhibit human-like characteristics. When we attribute human traits, emotions, or physical qualities to non-human entities, including objects, and digital interfaces, we feel more familiar to that object, experience higher social and emotional connection and believe that object is more reliable than those without a human touch. What takes an AI avatar one step further than ordinary bots is its ability to engage with humans in a more natural and human-like setting. 

AI avatars are mostly used in marketing, gaming, e-commerce, customer service, and even as personal assistants. Companies are leveraging AI avatars to provide more engaging, efficient, and human-like digital interactions. AI avatars can also support businesses on brand improvements with cost-effective marketing and enhanced customer engagement.

For training and education, companies and educational institutions can provide personalized learning experiences without the challenges of in-person training. Utilizing AI avatars allow companies to deliver consistent training sessions with diverse topics and different languages.

How does AI avatar generation work?

While constructing an AI avatar, users typically upload a photo, which provides the foundation for the AI to analyze and model a lifelike digital representation, incorporating the user’s unique facial features and expressions. AI avatars are created with NLP algorithms, image recognition software, VR/AR, and 3D animation technologies. Read to learn more about how Natural Language Processing (NLP) works on our Complete Guide to NLP.

After generating an AI avatar, it learns from both its developers and end-users. It is also possible to customize your avatars by entering your own text prompts. With these customization options, you can generate outfits for your custom AI avatars and use your own voice for text-to-speech video content generation.

Figure 8: Synthesia AI avatar example.15

What are the AI avatar use cases?

Virtual assistants

AI avatars can be used to provide virtual assistance to users. AI virtual assistant avatars can enhance customer service experience by enabling instant customer support, recommendations, answering FAQs, and supporting customers on solving common issues. These realistic AI avatars offer a personalized experience by adapting their responses based on individual user preferences and past behaviors and enabling more relevant communication with the users.

Some of the services AI virtual assistant avatars provide include guiding users through websites, assisting in completing complex transactions, and gathering and analyzing essential user information by interactive dialogues. These AI avatars ensure clarity and relatability by aligning its responses with the brand’s voice or the user’s language.

Figure 9: Dave AI virtual assistant example.16

Gaming

The gaming industry is one of the most popular areas where AI avatars can grow. While games are more realistic now, they can offer more options based on how you interact with them. AI avatars can enhance gaming experience by providing realistic interactions and challenges for players to overcome.

AI avatars can adapt and respond to player actions in real-time and offer more realistic interaction than traditional non-player characters (NPCs). AI avatars in games are unique and unpredictable since they can exhibit complex behaviors and emotions.

Streaming platforms such as Twitch and Facebook Gaming utilize AI avatars for live streaming, enabling streamers to engage audiences with unique virtual representations.

Figure 10: NVIDIA AI avatar example for gaming.17

Communication 

AI avatars can also take forms as personalized avatars for messaging and social media. Users can generate avatars and customize them with different hairstyles, makeup and accessories. These avatars can capture different facial expressions and create interactive and entertaining visuals for communication. With these personalized AI avatars, users can interact with others by creating video messages, or simply inserting these avatars to their text messages as a mobile AI application.

Figure 11: Memoji AI avatar creation.18

Training

AI avatars in educational programs offer a more personalized training tailored in line with each individual’s needs and this personalized approach enables a more effective training. Unlike conventional and costly training methods that involve in-person instructors, utilizing AI avatars in training offer a budget-friendly option for organizations with financial constraints.

Another significant advantage of AI avatars is their capability to provide instant feedback. By evaluating the responses of learners in real-time, these avatars can offer immediate insights and corrections.

These interactive AI avatars make the training more interesting, which is crucial for the retention of information and overall learner satisfaction.

Sales and marketing

Companies can utilize AI avatars for boosting their sales and marketing objectives. AI avatars can deliver engaging product demos and tutorials by making complex products more accessible to potential buyers. With these avatars, sales and marketing professionals also deliver personalized marketing messages which are tailored to individual user preferences and behaviors.

For digital marketing, interactive AI avatars can engage with users in real-time by enabling captivating ad experiences. AI avatars can also support sales and marketing processes by hosting virtual events and webinars.

Benefits of using AI avatars

More engaging content

With AI avatars, you can create dynamic and interactive content that captures the audience’s attention more effectively than traditional images. 

For example, an AI avatar can learn from a real instructor’s behavior and generate more humanlike and realistic training content with lifelike avatars based on its learnings. This can lead to better retention of information and a more enjoyable learning experience.

More personalization

An AI avatar can be customized to serve individual preferences and needs while providing a personalized experience for users. 

For instance, in customer service, an AI avatar can adapt its responses based on the user’s past interactions, preferences, and behavior. This would make the customer service more unique and tailored to the individual and it can enhance user engagement and satisfaction.

More realistic experiences

AI avatars can provide highly realistic and immersive experiences with the ability to mimic human facial expressions, gestures, and body language. This is particularly beneficial in virtual reality applications, where users can interact with AI-powered characters that behave and respond like real humans.

Reduced costs

Leveraging AI avatars can be more cost-effective than employing human staff for certain tasks. An AI avatar can handle customer inquiries 24/7 which would reduce the need for a large customer service team.

Increased customer satisfaction

AI avatars can significantly enhance customer interactions and satisfaction by providing personalized, engaging, and efficient interactions. They can offer swift responses to queries and this would reduce waiting times and provide consistent service quality. 

The unique and innovative nature of interacting with an AI avatar can also enhance the value of the service which would further boost customer satisfaction.

How to choose the right vendor?

Quality of avatars

Evaluate the realism, expressiveness, and customization quality of the avatars that a vendor provides. High-quality and unique AI avatars should be able to convey emotions, perform a range of actions, and be customizable to fit different environments.

Customization and flexibility

Look for vendors who offer a variety of customization options and provide flexible avatar customization options, such as changing appearances, voices, and behaviors to match with your specific needs and expectations.

Integration with other tools

Ensure that the selected solution can be easily integrated with your existing systems and workflows. Check the compatibility of AI generated avatars with various platforms such as CRM tools and social media platforms and the ability to work with different types of content and data inputs.

Security and Privacy

AI avatar generation works closely with sensitive user data because it uses data directly obtained from your voice or your facial features. Therefore, assuring security and privacy are essential when choosing the right vendor. 

Check with your vendor to ensure that the vendor complies with relevant data protection regulations (such as GDPR) and has robust security measures in place to protect user data and privacy.

If you want to read more about AI, these articles can also interest you:

If you have questions about AI avatars, we can help:

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Access Cem's 2 decades of B2B tech experience as a tech consultant, enterprise leader, startup entrepreneur & industry analyst. Leverage insights informing top Fortune 500 every month.
Cem Dilmegani
Principal Analyst
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Cem Dilmegani
Principal Analyst

Cem has been the principal analyst at AIMultiple since 2017. AIMultiple informs hundreds of thousands of businesses (as per similarWeb) including 60% of Fortune 500 every month.

Cem's work has been cited by leading global publications including Business Insider, Forbes, Washington Post, global firms like Deloitte, HPE, NGOs like World Economic Forum and supranational organizations like European Commission. You can see more reputable companies and media that referenced AIMultiple.

Throughout his career, Cem served as a tech consultant, tech buyer and tech entrepreneur. He advised businesses on their enterprise software, automation, cloud, AI / ML and other technology related decisions at McKinsey & Company and Altman Solon for more than a decade. He also published a McKinsey report on digitalization.

He led technology strategy and procurement of a telco while reporting to the CEO. He has also led commercial growth of deep tech company Hypatos that reached a 7 digit annual recurring revenue and a 9 digit valuation from 0 within 2 years. Cem's work in Hypatos was covered by leading technology publications like TechCrunch and Business Insider.

Cem regularly speaks at international technology conferences. He graduated from Bogazici University as a computer engineer and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

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2 Comments
Chris
Dec 04, 2020 at 15:54

Look at Agora Brands Group, Ai Interactive Avatar technology platform globally.
This is the future of Ai Avatars. “the Face of AI”

Calvin
Nov 13, 2020 at 04:54

Great article.
I’m curious if you have heard of the company Pinscreen. I’m having trouble differentiating between what makes one Avatar /AI assistant startup better than the other? would you say importance is in NLP or Avatar /image generation?

Cem Dilmegani
Nov 14, 2020 at 15:27

NLP capabilities are more important for the usability of the Avatar. Thanks for contributing!

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