With deep speech and screen-interaction tech, eSelf will help Kaltura turn video into real-time, expressive AI agents for sales, support, and learning.
Kaltura’s Strategic Leap Into Conversational AI
Kaltura, the Nasdaq-listed video technology company, has acquired eSelf.ai, an Israel-based startup known for its AI-generated conversational avatars, in a $27 million deal. The move signals Kaltura’s ambition to evolve beyond traditional video platforms into a leader in real-time, AI-driven human-like interactions.
- The acquisition includes all of eSelf’s 15-person AI team, with co-founders Alan Bekker (formerly sold Voca to Snap) and Eylon Shoshan joining Kaltura.
- eSelf specializes in real-time speech-to-video generation, low-latency speech recognition, and screen-aware digital humans that can see, hear, and respond.
Why eSelf? Real-Time, Not Just Lip-Sync
Kaltura CEO Ron Yekutiel emphasized that this was a highly selective acquisition process, focused on finding the right blend of real-time AI, technical excellence, and cultural fit.
“We determined that eSelf was best-in-class for real-time, synchronous conversation — not just video-on-demand lip-syncing,” said Yekutiel.
Unlike avatar companies that offer just digital faces, eSelf brings a complete AI agent stack — combining speech, vision, and expressive animation to create interactive digital humans that respond instantly and naturally.
The Vision: Video as a Conversational Interface
For two decades, Kaltura has helped enterprises stream and manage video content. But now, video is transforming from passive content to active interface — powered by AI.
With eSelf’s tech, Kaltura is building:
- Embeddable AI agents for sales, marketing, customer support, and training
- Digital avatars that can guide users through onboarding, troubleshoot software, or teach lessons in over 30 languages
- Agents that are context-aware, visually responsive, and deeply connected to enterprise systems and knowledge bases
“We’re adding human-like capabilities — faces, eyes, mouths, ears — to make our AI agents conversational and expressive,” said Yekutiel.
Enterprise-Grade AI for Real Business Outcomes
Kaltura plans to integrate eSelf into its full suite of enterprise-grade video solutions, which serve over 800 corporate clients including:
- Amazon
- Salesforce
- SAP
- Adobe
- IBM
- Leading banks, insurers, pharma firms, and universities
By bringing intelligent avatars into the flow of work, Kaltura aims to turn video into a frontline business tool, capable of boosting sales conversion, customer retention, and employee training efficiency.
Built for Speed, Personalization, and Scale
Unlike most AI video platforms that generate avatars for static use cases, Kaltura is focused on:
- Live, synchronous conversations
- Instant personalization and contextual replies
- Enterprise integration, enabling avatars to pull knowledge from internal CRMs, LMSs, and support systems
This makes it ideal for high-impact sectors like:
- Education and EdTech
- Telecom and Media
- Financial Services
- Healthcare and Pharma
- E-commerce and Retail
Responding to Acquisition Rumors—and Signaling Strength
While recent reports hinted at Kaltura exploring a sale or merger in the $400M–$500M range, Yekutiel clarified that no deal was close.
“We’ve explored a wide range of strategic opportunities, but remain focused on our roadmap,” he said, pointing to the eSelf deal as evidence of continued investment in growth and innovation.
This marks Kaltura’s fourth acquisition, following:
- Tvinci (2014) – Cloud TV solutions
- Rapt Media (2018) – Interactive video
- Newrow (2020) – Video conferencing
Kaltura is currently generating $180 million in annual revenue, is profitable on an adjusted EBITDA and cash flow basis, and employs roughly 600 people.
