A person’s appearance, identity, and other nonverbal cues can substantially influence how one is perceived by a negotiation counterpart, potentially impacting the outcome of the negotiation. With recent advances in technology, it is now possible to alter such cues through real‐time video communication. In many cases, a person’s physical presence can explicitly be replaced by 2D/3D representations in live interactive media. In other cases, technologies such as deepfake can subtly and implicitly alter many nonverbal cues—including a person’s appearance and identity—in real time. In this article, we look at some state‐of‐the‐art technological advances that can enable such explicit and implicit alterations of nonverbal cues. We also discuss the implications of such technology for the negotiation landscape and highlight ethical considerations that warrant deep, ongoing attention from stakeholders.

Negotiation is at its core a form of social interaction—one that is shaped heavily by how each party and its actions are perceived by the other. Your negotiation counterparts are your audience, just as you are theirs. Being open to listening more, empathizing when appropriate, and taking another’s perspective are essential elements of negotiation, which are often guided by a careful observation of the verbal and nonverbal cues of the negotiation counterparts. Importantly, a person’s aural, visual, and other nonverbal cues play a crucial role in shaping the perceptions of others, and it is suggested that up to 93 percent of the meaning of a message can be conveyed by facial and vocal cues rather than speech (Mehrabian 1971). Individuals who are good at sensing and adapting to these dimensions are viewed as good negotiators or mediators.

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