Our Next Reality

The convergence of artificial intelligence and immersive computing represents a major inflection point in human history unlike anything we have experienced before. We are about to enter a new reality in which AI and immersive technologies will fundamentally change our lives, impacting not only how we work and play, but how we perceive our world, experience our activities, and interact with each other. And most of all, it will transform how we view our communities, our nationalities, and our personal identities. The core technology underlying it will go by many names - some may call it extended reality (XR) while others will refer to it as spatial computing, immersive media or the metaverse - but whatever it is called, this new AI-powered reality will unleash a magical morphable world that adapts to each of us in real-time, customizing our most basic daily experiences. This will trigger a transformation to society no less significant than the invention of the printing press, the steam engine, the digital computer, or the internet. Of course, this begs the trillion-dollar question - should we be excited, terrified, or something in between? This book provides an honest and balanced view of the benefits and challenges of these transformative technologies, empowering you to make up your own mind and do your part to help steer the future towards positive outcomes. So which future will it be - Utopian or Dystopian?