Buyers today expect clear answers, quick responses, and a personal touch. They don’t just want to read about your product or service. They want to see it, hear it, and understand it through video. The challenge is that most teams already feel stretched thin. Creating the amount of video buyers now expect can feel impossible when calendars are packed, resources are limited, and not everyone is comfortable on camera.
That reality sparks a bigger question for many business leaders: Can AI avatars help businesses scale video production without losing the human connection buyers expect?
That’s the exact conversation I had with Cathal Canavan, Head of HeyGen for Agencies, in this episode of the Endless Customers podcast. Together, we explored how businesses are using avatars to scale video production, overcome language barriers, and reduce the roadblocks that keep people from pressing record. Most importantly, we explored how to accomplish all of this without compromising the human connection that buyers still expect.
Your story matters more than the tech
Before we ever got into avatars or features, Cathal grounded the conversation in something simple. Every business has a story to tell. That story might be about the work you do, the clients you serve, the progress you’ve made, or the people behind the scenes who make it all happen. Technology is just a vehicle. Video, in particular, is a tool to help you communicate that story with more clarity, consistency, and reach.
That perspective resonated deeply with me because it’s exactly how we approach content at IMPACT. The goal is never the flash of the tool; it is the trust it can build. A camera, an avatar, or even a social platform is only valuable if it helps you share what is true and helpful with your audience. When tools make your story clearer, they serve the buyer. When they become the focus instead of the message, they fail, no matter how impressive the features look on the surface.
Businesses often get stuck chasing the latest marketing tactic or shiny new software, thinking that will win attention. But what actually earns trust and drives growth is the simple act of telling your story in a way that answers questions, removes confusion, and helps people feel confident in their decisions.
Think about it like a movie trailer. The trailer only works if it gives you a sense of the story and leaves you wanting more. No one goes to see a film because the trailer had great editing software behind it. They go because the story hooked them. Business video works the same way. The tech matters less than the clarity and emotion of the story you are trying to tell.
One concern I hear regularly is that avatars will replace the real people on your team. Cathal addressed this directly: “People initially think that avatars are here to replace humans. That’s not correct at all.” There will always be moments when live, on-camera presence matters. But there are just as many times when getting on camera is hard. Calendars clash. The studio is booked. Or you just need to get a message out today.
That is where avatars step in. They keep your presence alive when you cannot be there in person. They also remove the friction that stops busy teams from producing video in the first place. As Cathal explained, “They want more video. They want it faster. They want it cheaper. They want to be more creative. And that’s where HeyGen comes in.”
I feel this same pressure every week. The demand for video keeps growing. Avatars are not a replacement for me or for our coaches. They are a way to scale our impact without stretching the team too thin.
One story Cathal shared stuck with me. A cat psychologist in Germany was limited to publishing content in German. Her market was small. With HeyGen, she created an avatar and now publishes in 150 different languages. It is still her story. It is still her expertise. But she can now reach audiences who never would have found her otherwise.
As someone who grew up in video production, I know how challenging and expensive translation can be. It usually requires voice talent, heavy editing, and more rounds of review than you want to count. Lip sync is often off, and the final result feels clunky. The fact that a video can now be translated with voice cloning and synced lips is more than interesting. It is a bridge to real growth for companies selling in more than one region.
Trust and transparency with AI
Can avatars build trust? Yes, when you use them with honesty. On this point, Cathal and I are completely aligned. Buyers are smart. They can usually tell when a video has been translated or when an avatar is standing in for a person. Being upfront about it builds confidence instead of doubt.
Cathal shared two examples that made the point clear.
That is the heart of it. When you explain the why, people lean in. When you hide it, they pull back. At IMPACT, this is exactly how we teach transparency in the Endless Customers SystemTM. No smoke. No mirrors. Just clarity, honesty, and trust.
How businesses are using AI avatars in their sales and marketing
Cathal and I explored a range of use cases that show how avatars make video more practical for busy teams.
One of the biggest is sales enablement and training. Teams can record short clips that help reps handle common questions. In fast-moving industries, content gets outdated quickly. With an avatar, you can update scripts in minutes without booking studio time or waiting for edits.
Proposals and pitches are another smart application. As deals progress, a short personalized video keeps momentum alive. Speak directly to the full committee, not just your main contact. Use names, restate the problem, and hit the three points that matter most. Then invite a reply. As Cathal put it, “It’s the leave behinds. It’s the take home assets.” A one-minute video gets watched in Slack or email. A long PDF usually sits unread.
Avatars also make multilingual outreach faster. Sales teams can test messages in different languages and find traction in new markets without the heavy lift of traditional translation.
In regulated industries like pharma and healthcare, precision is everything. Cathal shared how some clients generate a persona, such as a doctor, and use tightly scripted one-to-one clips. These are labeled clearly so the recipient knows exactly what they are seeing. The message stays compliant, consistent, and professional.
FAQs and pricing support is another area where avatars shine. Avatars make it easier to keep those videos fresh, especially for teams who are hesitant to get on camera.
And then there are interactive avatars, which might be the most exciting development. “Our interactive avatar or live avatar,” Cathal explained, connects directly to a knowledge base. A visitor can type or talk to it, and the avatar responds in real time. This means simple questions get answered right away without booking a full demo. That saves time for both the buyer and the sales team, and it gives people help in the moment they need it most.
For me, the common thread across all of these use cases is clear. Video beats PDFs almost every time. People will watch a 60-second clip long before they will read a five-page document. Avatars make it possible for teams to deliver those clips consistently, even on the busiest days.
What's next for HeyGen and AI video?
When I asked Cathal to share what is coming, he summed up their focus in three words: quality, consistency, and controllability. Those are the benchmarks that guide every product decision.
The week we recorded this episode was a big one for their team. They rolled out a full rebrand, launched a new “video agent” product, and announced the acquisition of a company called Alisa. The video agent tool lets you type a prompt and generate a complete video in minutes. It can use your avatar or a stock one, add music, B-roll, and animations, and then give you full control to edit the final cut.
As someone who writes scripts constantly, I was especially interested in the built-in scripting help. For many teams, the hardest part is not recording but writing. This feature lowers that barrier and helps you get started faster.
Cathal also emphasized balance. On one hand, their research and engineering teams keep pushing the models forward with better lip sync, faster rendering, and new capabilities. On the other hand, they know that many agencies and businesses are now building their services directly on top of HeyGen. That makes stability just as important as innovation. “People are building their entire businesses based on HeyGen,” Cathal told me. Reliability is not optional.
From my perspective as a partner, I see the impact firsthand. Scripting tools reduce the blank-page panic. Better sync improves watch time. Faster renders keep projects moving. And a stable platform ensures we can rely on it week after week.
So what does all this mean for teams of different sizes?
Cathal’s take was straightforward. “AI is accelerating how everyone does things. Everyone has to move quicker, adopt new things, change their approaches.” The demand for video will only grow, and buyers will continue to favor clips that feel personal and useful.
We are also seeing a shift in style. One customer tested polished green screen avatars against clips designed to look like user-generated content. The UGC-style clips won on social. As Cathal put it, “The ones that feel the most authentic are the ones that perform the best.” Buyers connect with a phone-shot look when the message is clear and the delivery feels natural. That does not mean production quality no longer matters. It means the right kind of quality matters—human pacing, a direct voice, and a clear next step.
On this point, Cathal and I completely align. The tools will continue to evolve, but the principle stays the same. Use them to help people understand. Use them to help people decide with confidence. That is the heart of storytelling. That is how you build trust.
If I were starting fresh, I would keep it simple.
Begin by picking one part of the buyer journey that could use a boost. Maybe it’s a short welcome video for booked meetings, a quick answer clip for a top question, or a proposal summary for a prospect. Start small and build from there.
Think about where a real person matters most and where speed and scale matter most. Use people in the moments where presence makes the difference. Use an avatar when the goal is quick updates, translation, or producing content at scale.
Keep your scripts short and plain. Let the questions your buyers already ask guide you. One problem, one clear answer, and one next step is enough. Decide up front how you will handle transparency. If a video has been translated or if a persona is filling in, say so. That openness builds confidence instead of doubt.
Measure the basics as you go. Track watch time, replies, booked calls, or changes in sales cycle time. Share the wins with your team so they can see the impact and gain confidence. Then make a habit of revisiting monthly. These tools move fast. What felt out of reach last time you checked may already be simple today.
In the end, this is not about flashy features or shortcuts. It is about helping people. Tell the truth. Teach with clarity. Show your face, whether live or through an avatar, and give buyers the confidence to move forward. That is how trust lasts.
Endless Customers has always been a system built on trust: talk about what others won’t, show what others avoid, and sell in a way that helps people decide with confidence. AI avatars do not change that. When used with care, they can actually reinforce it.
Cathal said something that continues to stick with me: “Make human connection at scale.” That is really the point. Tools will keep changing. Teams will keep adjusting. But the power of a clear and honest story will not fade.
When you use avatars to serve buyers, you create more opportunities for the conversations that matter most.
If you are curious, start small. Test one use case. Be open about how you are using the tool. Track the results. Share what you learn.
Need help getting your team aligned on the role of AI in sales and marketing? Our coaches work with businesses every day to cut through the hype, focus on what works, and put these tools to use in a way that drives results. Let’s talk.
Cathal Canavan is Head of HeyGen for Agencies, partnering with marketing and creative teams to integrate AI video into sales, service, and content operations. His focus is simple: help agencies and in-house teams publish more helpful videos, in more languages, with less friction. Cathal leads the HeyGen Agency Program and speaks frequently about AI video use cases and product updates, such as interactive avatars and video agents.
Do buyers trust AI avatars?
Yes. When businesses are transparent about using them and tie the choice to clear benefits. If you explain why you’re using avatars (speed, accessibility, or personalization), most buyers see them as a value-add rather than a gimmick.
Will avatars replace real salespeople?
No. They’re best used to supplement human presence, not replace it. Avatars can handle repetitive or time-consuming tasks, freeing sales teams to focus on deeper conversations and building relationships.
What industries benefit most from avatars?
Any industry with high video demand such as sales, SaaS, healthcare, training, and global companies that need multilingual content. These teams often struggle to scale video quickly, and avatars help them produce consistent, personalized messaging at speed.
How do I avoid making avatars feel “fake”?
Keep scripts clear and conversational, disclose usage, and focus on solving buyer problems, not showing off features. The more authentic and audience-focused the content feels, the less distracting the technology becomes.