AI avatars may eventually assume the role of educators for children.

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In a thought-provoking TED Radio Hour segment, technologist Victor Riparbelli painted a vivid picture of a future where students interact with AI avatars rather than traditional textbooks. This digital story, produced by Rachel Faulkner White and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour, imagines a world where education is personalized and equitable, catering to each child's unique interests and needs.

Riparbelli, the co-founder and CEO of Synthesia, a company that uses AI to create video lessons led by lifelike avatars, believes that AI technology will "turbocharge" education. His vision is based on the premise that humans learn better by watching videos and listening to audio, rather than reading text.

In this future scenario, students would discuss lessons with their own AI avatars, which would assess their comprehension and share results with teachers. This approach could make education more accessible, as students would have 24/7 access to their virtual tutors. Synthesia was valued at more than $2 billion in January 2025, reflecting the growing interest in this innovative approach.

However, not everyone is convinced. Dominique Jones, an eighth-grade teacher, is skeptical about Riparbelli's vision. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jones heavily relied on video lessons and had a high number of F's in her grade book. She fears that with the rise of AI, students will suffer from a lack of human interaction and lose important analytical skills.

Despite these concerns, the use of AI in education is already on the rise. A 2024 study by the Digital Education Council found that 86% of students globally use AI for schoolwork, with 66% utilizing ChatGPT regularly. Moreover, a recent Gallup poll found that 3 in 10 teachers also use AI weekly to prepare lesson plans and grade assignments.

Riparbelli advocates for allowing people to experiment with AI and learn from their experiences. He envisions a future where students could generate videos of their favorite celebrities or athletes teaching them a lesson. This could make learning more engaging and exciting, potentially increasing students' motivation to learn.

In this future, AI avatars could supplement teachers' lessons, acting as personal tutors for each student. The interaction with AI avatars would be like sitting down with a teacher that has infinite time and responds immediately. This could help students who struggle to keep up in class, ensuring that they don't fall behind.

The use of AI avatars in education is seen as a potential means to make education more equitable. By providing personalized learning experiences, AI could help close the achievement gap between students from different backgrounds. However, it's important to remember that AI is just a tool, and its effectiveness depends on how it's used.

As AI becomes more pervasive, the question may not be how to avoid it but how to coexist with it. Riparbelli encourages us to embrace this technology and learn from it, rather than fear it. After all, the goal is to improve education and make learning more efficient and enjoyable for everyone.

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