May Horiuchi
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Understanding the UN’s AI Refugee Avatars
A new kind of storytelling tool is making waves at the intersection of humanitarian work and artificial intelligence. The United Nations University Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR) recently introduced AI-powered avatars meant to simulate the lived experiences of people caught in conflict. These digital characters, based on fictional personas, are built to engage users in…
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ByteDance’s Big Move: US Versions of TikTok and CapCut Explained
ByteDance is making headlines again, and this time it’s a pretty big deal for anyone who uses TikTok or CapCut. The company is planning to build US-only versions of both apps to keep them running for American users. This blog will break down exactly why ByteDance is making these changes, what’s happening with TikTok and…
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How Educators Can Use AI Avatars
What are AI avatars? Let’s start at the beginning. What is an AI avatar, exactly? In simple terms, it’s a digital character that looks and speaks like a real human. You can program it to say anything you want. You type in the script, choose the avatar, and generate the video. That’s it. No cameras.…
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Transform Your Teaching with Visla: Join Our Education Webinar
Creating engaging video content for your classes takes time you don’t have. We get it. That is why we’re launching a free weekly webinar series tailored for educators like you. Start Date: July 8th 2025Time: 10:00 AM PSTFrequency: Weekly You’ll learn how to turn your lesson plans, ideas, or existing materials into professional-level videos within…
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What Types of Videos Work Best in the Classroom?
In today’s classroom, video is more than a teaching aid. It’s a direct path to engagement, understanding, and retention. From reinforcing lessons to encouraging discussion, the right video format can reshape how students absorb information. But not all videos are created equal. Video is a powerful educational tool because it appeals to the brain’s preference…
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Can Educators Really Use Video Effectively?
In today’s classrooms and training rooms, the question isn’t whether video fits in, it’s how well we use it. With on-demand content, short attention spans, and students scattered across time zones, video has become an essential tool for modern educators. But does it actually work? What Research Says About Video and Learning Students retain 95%…
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Understanding AI Avatar Videos
Let’s start with the basics. An AI avatar is a virtual representation of a human presenter generated using artificial intelligence. It can speak your script, mimic human gestures, and deliver your message with a professional look, all without hiring a real person. This technology can make high-volume video production faster and more cost-effective than ever…
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What Is an AI Avatar?
What is an AI avatar? Well, AI avatars are digital people…kind of. They talk, move, gesture, and act in videos as if they were human. Powered by AI, these avatars can turn a simple video into a more human, compelling experience. No cameras. No actors. Just AI. Or, at least that’s the idea. There’s plenty…