TL;DR

Video call apps use AI to blur or replace backgrounds, cancel background noise, adjust lighting, frame you in the shot, and even add virtual makeup. All this happens in real-time.

AI features in video calls

Background blur/replacement:

  • AI detects your body outline (edge detection)
  • Separates you from background
  • Blurs or replaces background with image/video
  • Runs in real-time during calls

Noise cancellation:

  • AI identifies your voice vs. background sounds
  • Filters out dogs barking, kids yelling, construction noise
  • Only transmits your speech

Lighting adjustment:

  • AI brightens your face if room is dark
  • Reduces harsh shadows
  • Makes you look more professional

Auto-framing:

  • AI detects your position
  • Adjusts camera view to keep you centered
  • Follows you if you move

Eye contact correction:

  • Some tools (Nvidia) adjust your gaze to look at camera
  • Makes it seem like you're looking at the person
  • Subtle but noticeable effect

Live captions:

  • Speech-to-text in real-time
  • Accessibility feature for hearing-impaired
  • Useful in noisy environments

How background blur works

  1. AI analyzes video frame-by-frame
  2. Detects human shape (head, shoulders, arms)
  3. Separates person from background
  4. Applies blur or replacement to background pixels
  5. Combines and streams result

How noise cancellation works

  1. AI is trained on millions of audio samples (speech vs. noise)
  2. Identifies frequencies and patterns of human voice
  3. Filters out everything else (dogs, traffic, keyboard clicks)
  4. Transmits only your voice

Benefits

  • Look professional from anywhere
  • Privacy (messy room hidden)
  • Clearer audio
  • Accessibility (captions)

Downsides

  • Processing can slow older computers
  • Sometimes glitches (hair disappears, arms blurred)
  • Not perfectā€”obvious in some cases

Tips for better video calls

  • Use a good light source (face the window or lamp)
  • Test background blur before important calls
  • Update app regularly for best AI features
  • Disable features you don't need to save bandwidth

What's next

  • AI in Everyday Life
  • Remote Work with AI Tools
  • Speech Recognition Explained