Imagine practicing a difficult conversation with your boss or a tricky sales pitch — and getting instant, detailed feedback from an AI that never judges. That’s exactly what Synthesia’s latest move promises.
The company, best known for creating realistic AI video avatars for corporate training, is now stepping into live, interactive coaching. Its new feature, AI Roleplay Sessions, lets employees practice workplace conversations with AI avatars that provide real-time feedback, scoring, and analytics.
From Passive Videos to Active Practice
Until now, Synthesia’s platform was largely about generating video content — think training videos with AI presenters. But training experts have long argued that passive video watching isn’t enough for skills like negotiation, conflict resolution, or customer service.
AI Roleplay Sessions changes that. Employees can now engage in simulated conversations, and the AI avatar responds dynamically, offering feedback on tone, clarity, and effectiveness. The system scores the interaction and provides analytics to managers, helping companies measure training ROI.
Why Live Coaching Matters for Enterprises
For companies, this is a significant shift. Traditional roleplay exercises require human trainers, scheduling, and often feel artificial. Synthesia’s AI version is available on demand, consistent, and scalable. It also removes the fear of judgment — employees can practice repeatedly without embarrassment.
“This is about making training measurable and practical,” a Synthesia representative said in the announcement. “We’re moving from content creation to skill development.”
How AI Roleplay Sessions Work
The platform uses Synthesia’s existing avatar technology but adds conversational AI that can respond in real time. Employees choose a scenario — like a sales call or a performance review — and the avatar plays the role of a customer, manager, or colleague. After the session, the system generates a report with scores on key metrics and suggestions for improvement.
This is not just a chatbot. The avatars are designed to mimic human expressions and tone, making the practice feel more realistic.
Who Benefits Most from This Tool
Sales teams, customer support agents, and managers are the primary users. For sales, it means practicing objection handling. For support, it’s handling angry customers. For managers, it’s delivering tough feedback. The tool also helps new hires onboard faster by simulating real workplace interactions.
For employees, the benefit is clear: safe, repeatable practice with actionable feedback. For employers, it’s data-driven training that can be scaled across thousands of staff.
Synthesia’s Shift: From Content to Coaching
This move signals a broader ambition for Synthesia. The company has already raised significant funding and built a strong enterprise customer base for its video avatars. Now, it’s positioning itself as a full-spectrum training platform — not just content creation, but skill development and measurement.
Analysts see this as a natural evolution. “Video is great for information delivery, but skills require practice,” said a workplace technology analyst. “Synthesia is bridging that gap.”
Confirmed Facts vs What Remains Unclear
What’s confirmed: Synthesia has launched AI Roleplay Sessions for enterprise customers. The platform offers real-time feedback, scoring, and analytics. What remains unclear: pricing details, the full range of scenarios available, and how the AI handles complex or unexpected responses. The company has not yet shared case studies or customer testimonials.
Synthesia’s Competitive Edge
Synthesia’s moat lies in its proprietary avatar technology and its existing enterprise relationships. Competitors like DeepBrain AI or Hour One offer video avatars, but few have moved into live, interactive coaching. Synthesia’s ability to combine realistic avatars with conversational AI gives it a unique position in the corporate training market.
Risks and Balanced View
Not everyone is convinced. Critics argue that AI roleplay lacks the nuance of human interaction. “An AI can’t truly replicate the emotional complexity of a real conversation,” one training expert noted. There are also concerns about data privacy — conversations are recorded and analyzed, which may worry some employees. Additionally, the tool’s effectiveness depends on the quality of the AI’s feedback, which may vary.
The Broader Trend: AI in Soft Skills Training
Synthesia’s move is part of a larger shift. Companies are increasingly using AI for soft skills training, from sales coaching platforms like Gong to AI-driven interview practice tools. The pandemic accelerated remote work, making on-demand, digital training essential. AI Roleplay Sessions fits into this trend by offering a scalable, measurable solution.
What Employees and Employers Should Do Now
For employers: evaluate if your training programs include practice opportunities. If not, consider piloting AI roleplay tools. For employees: if your company adopts this, use it to practice high-stakes conversations in a safe environment. For HR leaders: ask Synthesia for a demo and check how the analytics integrate with your existing learning management system.
What’s Next for Synthesia
The company is likely to expand the range of scenarios and improve the AI’s conversational depth. Future updates may include multilingual support, industry-specific modules, and integration with popular HR platforms. If successful, Synthesia could become a standard tool for enterprise skill development.
Our Take
Synthesia’s AI Roleplay Sessions is a smart evolution. It addresses a real gap in corporate training — the lack of safe, scalable practice for interpersonal skills. While it won’t replace human coaching entirely, it offers a practical, data-driven supplement. The key will be execution: the AI must be good enough to feel real, and the feedback must be genuinely useful. If Synthesia gets that right, this could become a must-have for enterprises serious about training.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Synthesia AI Roleplay Sessions?
It’s a new feature from Synthesia that lets employees practice workplace conversations with AI avatars. The avatars provide real-time feedback, scoring, and analytics to help improve skills like sales, customer service, and management.
How does Synthesia’s live coaching work?
Employees choose a scenario, and an AI avatar plays the role of a customer, manager, or colleague. The conversation is interactive, and after the session, the system generates a report with scores and suggestions for improvement.
Who can use Synthesia AI Roleplay Sessions?
The feature is available for enterprise customers. It’s designed for sales teams, customer support agents, managers, and any employee who needs to practice workplace conversations.
Is Synthesia’s AI coaching better than human training?
It’s not a replacement but a supplement. AI coaching offers on-demand, consistent, and judgment-free practice, while human training provides emotional depth and nuance. The best approach often combines both.
