The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is transforming the field of learning design in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. Among the most groundbreaking developments is the ability to generate AI avatars—digital representations of real people that can deliver lectures, narrate course content, and simulate human interaction. With just a few photos, video clips, and voice samples, learning designers can now create avatars that speak and move like the subject matter experts they represent. This technology opens up new possibilities for scalable, personalized, and cost-effective learning experiences. But it also introduces a host of ethical questions that institutions must begin to address with urgency and care.
AI’s capabilities are advancing far faster than many institutional policies can keep pace with. As a result, learning designers often find themselves navigating uncertain gray areas—equipped with powerful tools but lacking clear guidance on how to use them within their institution’s comfort zones. This article explores three key benefits of AI avatars in learning design, followed by three critical ethical considerations that must be addressed to ensure their use aligns with institutional values and learner trust.
Three Benefits of AI Avatars in Learning Design
1. Lower Production Costs
AI avatars significantly reduce the cost of producing high-quality instructional videos. Traditional video production—especially in professional studio settings—can be prohibitively expensive. Not every institution has access to a million-dollar recording studio, and even those that do must contend with the ongoing costs of staffing, editing, and scheduling. AI avatars eliminate many of these barriers. Once trained, an avatar can generate multiple videos from a script alone, allowing institutions to create engaging content at a fraction of the cost. This cost-efficiency expands the creative possibilities for learning designers, enabling them to dream bigger without being constrained by budget limitations.
2. Reduced Time Demands on Subject Matter Experts
Faculty time is one of the most limited and valuable resources in course development. AI avatars offer a way to preserve the expertise of subject matter experts while reducing the time they need to spend in front of a camera. Faculty still guide the content and ensure its academic integrity, but they no longer need to record every piece of instructional material themselves. This is especially valuable in the context of backward design, where the learning experience is carefully mapped out in advance. Once the structure is in place, avatars can step in to deliver content, freeing faculty to focus on teaching, grading, and mentoring students.
3. Personalized Learning Pathways
AI avatars also unlock new levels of personalization in online learning. One powerful use case is the creation of branching storylines—interactive, decision-based learning experiences that simulate real-world scenarios. These experiences often require dozens of video segments to account for different learner choices. In the past, producing this volume of content was time- and resource-intensive. With AI avatars, it becomes not only feasible but efficient. Learners can engage with complex case studies, make decisions, and see the consequences unfold in real time—all guided by avatars that bring the scenarios to life. This approach enhances engagement and supports deeper learning through authentic, personalized experiences.
Ethical Considerations for Responsible Use
Despite these benefits, the use of AI avatars raises important ethical questions. As institutions embrace these tools, it’s essential to consider their implications carefully and proactively. Here are three key areas where ethical reflection is needed:
1. Centering the Human
Even as AI takes on more of the heavy lifting, it’s crucial to keep subject matter experts at the center of the learning experience. The gap between human expertise and AI-generated content is shrinking, and that presents a real risk: the temptation to replace rather than support educators. AI should be used to amplify human expertise—not to erase it. Keeping the human at the helm ensures that learning remains relational and contextual.
2. Transparency and Disclosure
AI is increasingly operating behind the scenes in both teaching and learning, which raises questions concerning how and when AI use should be disclosed. If it is running behind everything, should there be many smaller discloser statements around every individual use or rather a single, general discloser? Should there be a disclosure if the content, expertise, image, likeness, and voice are all that of the subject matter expert, but were merely recorded using an AI avatar rather than a traditional studio camera? Learning designers will likely need to engage in these conversations with their teams, clients, and institutions. Either way, open disclosure fosters trust and helps learners understand the evolving nature of digital education. When an avatar is used to simulate a faculty member, it’s especially important to be clear about what is real, what is simulated, and why.
3. Ownership of Likeness and Voice
Using someone’s image, voice, and likeness to create an AI avatar introduces complex questions about ownership and consent. An avatar is not just a tool; it’s an extension of a person’s professional identity. One helpful analogy is to think of the avatar as a teaching assistant: it can support the faculty member, but it should never operate independently of their oversight or expertise. When instructors elect to create an AI avatar, it is important to define the conditions under which the avatar will or will not be utilized within the instructor’s course.
Conclusion: Balancing Innovation with Integrity
AI avatars offer learning designers a powerful new toolkit—one that can reduce costs, save time, and create deeply personalized learning experiences. But with great power comes great responsibility. As institutions explore these tools, it’s essential to engage in thoughtful conversations about ethics, ownership, and transparency. Learning designers must work closely with faculty and institutional leaders to ensure that AI is used in ways that align with their mission and values. The future of learning is being shaped now—and it’s up to us to shape it wisely.
This essay is the product of a conversation from the Baylor University Learning Design and Technology program leadership and course designers while developing the course Learning Design and Applied Multimedia Production.
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