Dream Machines: Physical AI, Robotics, Being Human Philip Rosedale | Virtual Worlds, AI, and the Illusion of Self
Today’s guest is a legend within spatial computing. We're speaking with Philip Rosedale, one of our spaces most renowned pioneers and the visionary founder of Second Life.
Long before the 'metaverse' and 'web3' became buzz words, Second Life was the first, commercially successful, virtual world, with a self-sustaining, digital society where millions could create, trade, and become whoever they wanted to be.
Philip does a lot of podcasts, so I tried to make this one unique.
Call me biased, but mission accomplished. This is easily my favorite conversation of the year.
We explore the enduring magic of Second Life, what it taught him about economics, identity, and why adults—not just kids—still crave virtual connection.
We dive into the deep stuff—how avatars act as mirrors of the self, why virtual identity can actually reshape real-world behavior, and how platforms like Second Life may hold the key to understanding consciousness itself. We talk about the illusion of self, the Proteus Effect, and what it means to co-create identity in a shared digital world.
And we ask: what happens when AI agents start growing up in these spaces? Could virtual worlds become safe playgrounds for emerging machine minds—and what might they teach us in return?
We then get philosophical, in all the best ways. We explore:
* Avatars as mirrors of the self
* How virtual identity can reshape real-world behavior
* What happens when AI agents start growing up in these spaces? Could virtual worlds become safe playgrounds for emerging machine minds—and what might they teach us in return?
So, definitely strap in for this one and enjoy, its wonderfully wide-ranging, it's mind bending, and it's most importantly, full of soul...
With that, I bring you Philip Rosedale.
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