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MasterClass is expanding beyond pre-recorded video lessons to offer on-demand tutoring from some of its most popular celebrity instructors. And if you’re wondering how the company has gotten some of the busiest people on the planet to answer your questions, guess what? The answer is generative AI.
MasterClass debuted on Wednesday On calla new web and iOS app that lets people talk to AI versions of their instructors. As of today, On Call is limited to two people representing the expertise of former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and UC Berkeley neuroscientist Dr. Matt Walker. In the future, MasterClass says it will offer many more people, with Gordon Ramsay, Mark Cuban, Bill Nye and LeVar Burton among some of the more notable experts who will share their voices and knowledge in this way.
“This is not just another generic AI chatbot that pulls data from the Internet,” said David Rogier, CEO of MasterClass, . “We have built this with our experts: training the AI with proprietary data sets (e.g. unpublished notes, private research, their lessons, emails and experience they have never shared before).”
By , Master class Agreements signed with each On Call instructor to license their voice and expertise. Judging by the sample voice clips MasterClass has on its website, the interactions are not as polished as the one shown in the announcement the company shared on social media. In particular, Chris Voss’ “voice” sounds robotic and unnatural. On Call is also a standalone product with a subscription separate from the company’s regular offering. To use On Call, users will have to pay $10 per month or $84 per year.
