{"article":{"slug":"google-gemini-3-8-live-avatar","kind":"model","source":{"title":"Gemini 3.8 Live with Live Avatar","url":"https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/gemini-3-8-live-with-live-avatar/","date":"2026-09-24"},"headline":"Google's Live Avatar lets businesses put a talking, lip-synced face on an AI agent","whatChanged":"Google added Live Avatar to Gemini 3.8 Live on September 24. It generates a talking video avatar in near real time, with lip-sync and facial expression across 97 languages, while the agent behind it keeps calling tools in the background. It launched in Gemini Enterprise, with API access for developers. Organizations can build a custom avatar from a reference image, currently only through enterprise allowlisting. Google says all audio and video output carries a SynthID watermark.","whyItMatters":"There are two sides to this. A company that puts an avatar in front of customers is speaking through it, so what it says needs the same review as any other customer communication. On the other side, a convincing face on a video call is weaker proof of identity than it used to be. SynthID only marks Google's own output, and staff cannot see it anyway, so payment changes and new payees need a check through a channel set up before the request arrived.","issuer":"Google","glance":"Google launched Live Avatar on September 24: real-time talking video avatars in Gemini Enterprise, watermarked with SynthID.","keyFact":"Lip-synced video avatars in 97 languages","action":"Require a call-back to a known number before acting on payment or account changes requested by video.","companyLabel":"Public edition"},"issue":{"id":"2026-09-28","publishedLabel":"Week of September 28, 2026","isLatest":false},"position":{"index":3,"total":6},"next":{"slug":"ftc-chair-ai-agent-liability","headline":"If your AI agent misbehaves, the FTC chair says the blame is yours"},"session":null}