The AI/XR Podcast.

Charlie is back from the Venice Film Festival Immersive, where he also judged the Reply AI Film Festival. His standout was Blur, which he shared with Ted and Rony, though the Grand Prize went to The Clouds Are 2000 Meters Up. He also praised Doug Liman’s Asteroid on Samsung’s Moohan headset and noted growing work on Apple Vision Pro.In the news: Anthropic raised $13B at a $183B valuation, Replit secured $250M, Viture raised $100M, Mojo Vision closed $75M, and Higgsfield raised $50M. Rony highlighted Rivet’s Army award and Brainlab’s ML2 FDA clearance. Apple AirPods added live translation.Don Carson joined to discuss Walkabout Mini Golf and the upcoming Alice in Wonderland course, set for December. Carson, a former Disney Imagineer and now senior art director at Mighty Coconut, explained how each hole is designed as a vignette to guide players through the story. Amazon is preparing new smart glasses, and TwinMind is testing lifelogging concepts.Thank you to our sponsor, Zappar!Don't forget to like, share, and follow for more! Follow us on all socials @TheAIXRPodcasthttps://linktr.ee/thisweekinxr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Zada and Monica Monique, co-founders of Secret Level, dive into the evolving landscape of storytelling and technology. They discuss how AI is transforming content creation, allowing smaller teams to achieve big results. Jason shares insights from a TED Talk on storytelling, while the duo navigates the balance of narrative and technology. They also touch on the implications of AI in advertising, exploring the emotional depth needed in synthetic characters. The conversation highlights the importance of human taste as technology reshapes storytelling.

In this engaging conversation, Natasha Herji, Walk Manager at CaringKind, shares insights on the launch of Rokid Glass, lightweight AI smart glasses designed for individuals with disabilities. The discussion covers how these glasses offer features like memory support and safety monitoring for those with dementia. They also delve into the balance between user privacy and innovative technology, and the importance of community engagement in healthcare. Hear about the impressive Kickstarter success that will help bring these glasses to underserved populations!

Doug Liman, a visionary director and partner at 30 Ninjas, joins Juliana Tatlock and Jed Weintraub to discuss their immersive XR film, Asteroid. They dive into the creative journey of transforming a feature script into an interactive short experience. Liman reveals how cutting-edge technologies like Google's digital human capture and Unreal Engine play a crucial role. The team shares insights from their decade-long exploration of immersive storytelling, showcasing the potential of AI and audience engagement in revolutionizing cinema.

Devon Eriksen, author of the sci-fi novel 'Theft of Fire', dives into the intricate relationship between technology and storytelling. He discusses the importance of cultural preservation in the age of AI, drawing parallels to indigenous challenges. The conversation shifts to the philosophical idea of intelligence as universal property and whether we might live in a simulation. Eriksen also shares insights from his creative journey transitioning from software engineering to sci-fi, exploring how the genre can inspire hope amidst darker narratives.

Jess Loren, CEO of Global Objects, discusses the fascinating world of photoreal digital twins in film and gaming. She shares insights on cutting-edge scanning technologies like LiDAR and photogrammetry that capture everything from insects to stadiums. The conversation dives into Hollywood's transformation amid tech shifts, the nostalgia-driven modern media landscape, and the future of virtual production. Jess also highlights the importance of a clean digital archive for cultural preservation and the role of AI in revolutionizing the industry.

On this episode of the AI/XR Podcast, Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, and Rony Abovitz welcome Brent Bushnell, co-founder of DreamPark, for an energizing conversation about the future of mixed reality entertainment. Brent shares how DreamPark turns public spaces into interactive theme parks using Meta Quest 3 headsets, enabling immersive gameplay on city streets, at malls, and even music festivals. The hosts reflect on the legacy of Magic Leap, the overlooked brilliance of the Magic Leap game Dr. Grordbort's Invaders, made exclusively for Magic Leap by New Zealand's WETA studio. Rony compares Brent’s vision to Walt Disney, and the brainstorm an entire Dream Park business plan, discussing everything from retrofitting dead malls to launching pop-ups at Buc-ee’s and Walmart. Along the way, they discuss the shortcomings of Apple Vision Pro, Magic Leap’s lost potential, and the promise of scalable location-based XR. Equal parts XR therapy session and founder love-fest, this episode captures what happens when tech dreamers like Brent Bushnell find a working prototype.Thank you to our sponsor, Zappar!Don't forget to like, share, and follow for more! Follow us on all socials @TheAIXRPodcasthttps://linktr.ee/thisweekinxr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, Charlie, Ted, and Rony are joined by longtime tech entrepreneur Greg Shove, who shares lessons from a career spanning seven startups and multiple pivots—including a missed opportunity to buy Amazon in 1996. Now CEO of Section, Shove has repositioned the company from an online business school to an enterprise AI transformation consultancy. He discusses the shift from pandemic-era digital learning to workforce upskilling for companies deploying large language models. The conversation covers AI’s “cut and create” phases, the moral imperative to retrain displaced workers, and the risk of becoming an AI “passenger” rather than a “driver.” Shove warns of cognitive offloading and the commodification of knowledge work, suggesting that skilled trades may prove more resilient in the age of automation. The hosts reflect on AI’s Orwellian dynamics and the widening education gap in America. Thank you to our sponsor, Zappar!Don't forget to like, share, and follow for more! Follow us on all socials @TheAIXRPodcasthttps://linktr.ee/thisweekinxr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bilawal Sidhu, former Google Maps PM and TED AI curator, shares his fascinating journey from childhood Flash animations to shaping immersive technology like Google Earth VR. He discusses the evolution of AI and the cultural impact of media satire, especially regarding political discourse. The conversation delves into the ethics of deep fakes, the potential of personalized AI podcasts, and the future of filmmaking in an AI-driven landscape. Sidhu emphasizes the balance between technology and storytelling, sparking a lively dialogue on innovation and ethics.

In this engaging discussion, director Rob Minkoff, known for The Lion King, explores how AI is transforming Hollywood's economic landscape. Filmmaker Ellenor Argyropoulos shares her profitable experiences using AI, highlighting its benefits for independent creators. Writer-director John MacInnes predicts a future with fewer traditional roles, focusing on the rise of creator-driven content. The trio delves into the challenges of IP theft, synthetic actors, and the human essence in storytelling amidst technological evolution.