British artificial intelligence startup Synthesia has unveiled a new interactive training platform, AI Roleplay Sessions, designed to help employees develop critical workplace skills through practical application. The platform allows users to engage in simulated 'high-stakes' conversations, such as sales pitches or performance reviews, with AI avatars that respond dynamically and provide immediate, objective feedback.
Historically known for its AI-powered video creation tools that enable businesses to produce training materials rapidly and cost-effectively, Synthesia's latest offering represents a strategic shift. The company is now placing a greater emphasis on demonstrating the tangible impact of AI training on employee behaviour and performance. Synthesia CEO and co-founder Victor Riparbelli highlighted that while video is effective, genuine learning often comes from active practice and receiving feedback, rather than merely observing or reading.
The Roleplay Sessions platform evaluates employee performance against predefined rubrics, offering detailed scoring and analytics. This data-driven approach aims to provide companies with granular insights into the capabilities of their workforce, particularly in areas like sales and leadership where soft skills are crucial. Riparbelli noted significant interest from managerial executives in mapping talent within their organisations, a task made more accessible by the detailed performance data generated through AI role-playing.
While Synthesia's proprietary avatar and voice technology are central to the platform, the underlying reasoning intelligence is powered by OpenAI. By integrating robust rubrics, performance data, and analytics, Synthesia is evolving beyond a pure AI avatar provider to position itself as a comprehensive performance-management solution with a user-friendly video interface. Early adopters of Roleplay include several major global companies, with initial applications focusing on training sales teams and developing leadership capabilities.
For UK businesses, this innovation could offer a more efficient and measurable way to upskill employees, particularly in client-facing roles or for managing difficult conversations. As inference costs for AI continue to decrease, Synthesia intends to broaden the availability of Roleplay beyond large enterprises to include small businesses, prosumers, and educational institutions in the coming months. This expansion could democratise access to advanced AI training, helping a wider range of organisations to enhance their human capital and drive measurable business outcomes.