Harvard Business School is leaning on AI avatars as it tries to expand the reach of its entrepreneur education. The avatars, made by startup HeyGen, are part of the eight-week, $699 HBS Foundry bootcamp. Live sessions with instructors still happen every week, but the AI avatars are the ones giving feedback during practice pitches and board meetings.

New York Times reporter Sarah Kessler tried the experience herself, pitching an AI-generated copy of Flybridge Capital co-founder Jeff Bussgang. She said both the real Bussgang and his digital copy were unimpressed by her plan to build “Uber for bananas,” and the virtual version gave her a noticeably frozen smile during the pitch.

Project director Katharina Rings said she initially thought of the AI component as closer to a chatbot. After Harvard Business School released a trial version, students asked for a more guided experience, and that changed the design. While some college students have been vocal about disliking AI, Foundry participants told Kessler they like the avatars. Bussgang admitted his digital copy is a little “creepy,” but added, “My students love it.”