Microsoft Teams will soon let you use a 3D avatar when on video calls, rather than your webcam. Avatars will be introduced in May, according to a Microsoft Teams roadmap, spotted by The Verge.
A way to have a visual presence in video meetings without actually showing your face, Microsoft Teams avatars represent people as a 3D model. This model is then animated using solely the voice as a cue, meaning you won’t still have to be sat in front of a webcam for it to appear correct.
They look a little like characters from The Sims, rather than attempting to appear super-realistic.
Microsoft showed the character-creation process back in October 2022. Microsoft Teams’ avatar builder allows customisation of the model’s face, hair, make-up, and clothes, much like a video game.
For the past few months, this feature has been in what Microsoft calls “Private Preview”, only accessible to those in the Teams Technology Adoption Program, which requires the signing of an NDA. This isn’t your standard public beta that just about anyone can try out.
Microsoft calls these character models Mesh Avatars. They are part of Teams Premium, which launched in the US as a $10 a month subscription in February, although early adopters can jump on board for $7 a month. UK pricing is yet to be announced.
What is Microsoft Teams Premium?
Teams Premium adds AI features like meeting notes powered by ChatGPT, and custom meeting types such as webinars.
The idea of Microsoft Teams 3D avatars makes more sense when you consider the Microsoft-Meta partnership announced in October 2022. Its aim is to bring key Microsoft services, including Teams, Office, and Xbox cloud gaming, to Meta Quest VR headsets.
Meta has reportedly sold almost 20 million VR headsets to date, and its Meta Quest Pro is made specifically for work-related purposes. However, Meta gave the headset a dramatic £200 price cut less than six months after its launch, and the company has said newer users aren’t continuing to use VR post-purchase as much as the early adopter crowd did.
