Russia’s Digital Doppelgängers Are Taking the Mic — and the Spotlight

At this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russian developers pulled back the curtain on a new class of AI-powered brand emissaries: hyperrealistic digital ambassadors capable of real-time, face-to-face interaction

These avatars don’t just speak — they mimic the facial expressions, voice, and intonation of a living human, blurring the boundary between synthetic and social.

Built for live public engagement, the AI ambassadors field questions from attendees while syncing their speech to lip movements and emotional cues. The tech was previously used to digitally “resurrect” the controversial politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky, but at SPIEF, the focus was all business — quite literally.

Industry experts say these avatars could reinvent how corporate leaders connect with their audiences, offering scalable, always-on communication with a human touch. Think customer service, live presentations, political outreach — all powered by machine-learning marionettes that feel anything but robotic.

As Russia doubles down on AI-driven communication tech, these avatars aren’t just PR tools. They’re a statement: digital presence is no longer optional — it’s evolutionary.