Boz To The Future

In today’s episode, our host, Head of RL, and Meta CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth is joined by Jason Rubin, VP of Metaverse Experiences.Rubin is an industry veteran who started out as co-founder of the gaming studio Naughty Dog, where as a programmer and director he led work on titles like Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter — two pioneering games from the early days of the PlayStation platform. Following that, he worked across a range of gaming, social media, and technology businesses before landing at Oculus in 2014. And he’s played an integral role in the development of the VR gaming and content ecosystem ever since. With Meta Quest 3 coming in the fall, Boz and Rubin get into what to expect from our next generation of VR headsets, as well as some of the biggest VR games coming this year, including Asgard’s Wrath 2, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Arizona Sunshine 2, and more. They also discuss why they both love photography so much, what’s the most slept-on VR game out there right now, and the graphic novel you need to be reading in 2023. For feedback and suggestions, drop Boz a message @boztank on Instagram or Twitter.

In today’s episode, our host, Head of RL, and Meta CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth is joined by John Carmack, former Reality Labs Consulting CTO who is currently heading up AGI at Keen Technologies. John Carmack is one of the most influential technologists of our time, and his work has shaped multiple generations of software and platforms. As a co-founder of video game company id Software, Carmack developed titles including Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake, which pioneered new approaches to technologies like 3D graphics and online multiplayer gaming.But Carmack’s impact goes well beyond gaming. In 2013 Carmack left id Software to become the CTO of Oculus VR, where he helped the company pioneer a new era of virtual reality devices. In 2014 Oculus VR was acquired by Meta and Carmack played a key role in the development of the VR technologies that Meta has developed ever since, which formed the foundation for its long term vision to build for the metaverse. In short, if you’ve ever played a video game or worn a VR headset, you’ve experienced John Carmack’s legacy. And now, after stepping down from his role at Meta at the end of 2022, Carmack is setting off on a new phase of his career, founding Keen Technologies to work on the pursuit of artificial general intelligence. There’s plenty for Carmack and Boz to talk about, and they cover it all this week, from the incredible new era of AI that’s emerging today to his philosophy on programming, building great software and making users happy. And as a bonus, Carmack’s recommended reading list for the best sci-fi to understand today’s AI boom, and thoughts on The Last of Us and turning games into TV shows. For feedback and suggestions, drop Boz a message @boztank on Instagram or Twitter. Follow John Carmack on Twitter, @id_AA_Carmack.

Welcome back for the twelfth episode of Boz to the Future, a monthly podcast from Reality Labs (RL). In today’s episode, our host, Head of RL, and Meta CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth is joined by Mark Rabkin, VP of RL.As you’d expect, Boz and Rabkin take a deep dive this week into all things VR—starting with some context around our brand new Meta accounts. If you missed the news: In August, we’ll begin rolling out a new Meta account structure that gives people more flexibility and control in VR. You’ll no longer be required to log into your Meta VR devices with a Facebook account. They discuss why Facebook logins became standard in the first place, and why Meta accounts are a better long-term solution. No surprise, it all comes back to how best to build a community and find friends in VR.But of course, Meta accounts are only the first of many topics covered this week. Having been with Meta for most of its existence, Boz and Rabkin also talk about VR and the metaverse as the latest “shift” for the company. How fast is it growing? How does it compare to the early days of mobile? And what do we mean when we call VR the next general compute platform?For more on the series, visit Tech @ Meta.  For feedback and suggestions, drop Boz a message @boztank on Instagram or Twitter.

Welcome back for episode 11 of Boz To The Future, where Head of Reality Labs and Meta CTO Andrew "Boz" Bosworth is joined by Meta's VP and Chief Scientist of AI Yann LeCun. In today’s episode, Boz and Yann go on a deep, deep dive looking at the state of AI today and where Yann believes the future is headed. Together, they cover the origins of AI at Meta (née Facebook), in the technology industry in general, and the huge shift we’ve seen in recent years.For more on the series, visit Tech@Meta. For feedback and suggestions, drop Boz a message @boztank on Instagram or Twitter.

In Episode 10 of Boz To The Future, Meta CTO Andrew "Boz" Bosworth speaks with Reality Labs' Director of Display Systems Research Douglas Lanman about passing the visual Turing test, what the visual Turing test is, and the technical challenges—and tradeoffs—his team faces on their quest to deliver VR displays that are almost indistinguishable from reality. For more on the series, visit Tech@Meta. For feedback and suggestions, drop Boz a message @boztank on Instagram or Twitter.

Alex Honnold, a professional adventure rock climber famous for his free soloing feats, joins Jonathan Griffith, a visionary photographer and filmmaker specializing in VR. They delve into how virtual reality is revolutionizing sports storytelling, making extreme sports accessible to everyone. The duo discusses their experiences creating immersive narratives, the emotional impact of authentic storytelling, and the changing perceptions of climbing through media. They also share insights on community initiatives, blending adventure with inspiration.

Aigerim Shorman, General Manager of Avatars & Identity at Meta, leads her team in shaping how we represent ourselves in the metaverse. She discusses the evolution of avatars, emphasizing their crucial role in digital identity and community. Aigerim highlights challenges such as impersonation and ethical considerations, while stressing the importance of diversity and authenticity online. The conversation also touches on how virtual and augmented reality can transform travel experiences, making global exploration more accessible than ever.

In Episode 7 of Boz To The Future, Reality Labs VP and incoming Meta CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth speaks with RL Director of Neuromotor Interfaces Thomas Reardon about the more intuitive inputs we’re building for future computing platforms like AR glasses. For generations, humans have been adapting to machines and learning how to use the various inputs available. In the future, technologies like EMG at the wrist will help decode electrical signals from our muscles based on very small movements of our hands or fingers — and eventually just from the intention to perform a gesture. Those signals can then be used to translate physical actions that we’ve already decided to perform into digital commands in order to directly control a device. It’s a much faster way to act on the instructions that you already send to your device today when you tap to select a song on your phone, click a mouse, or type on a keyboard. It’s exciting work that could transform the way we interact with computers in the future.For more on the series, visit facebook.com/boztothefuturepod. For feedback and suggestions, drop Boz a message @boztank on Instagram or Twitter.

In Episode 6 of Boz To The Future, Facebook Reality Labs VP Andrew 'Boz' Bosworth speaks with Facebook's Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox about the impact of the internet and the communication tools native to it on society, how it’s changed the way people relate to each other, the promise of augmented and virtual reality, and how Facebook’s apps could look like  in the metaverse.For more on the series, visit facebook.com/boztothefuturepod. For feedback and suggestions, drop Boz a message @boztank on Instagram or Twitter. 

Ina Fried, Chief Technology Correspondent at Axios, dives deep into the complexities of technology and society. She discusses how innovations like wearables and sound tech can reshape our daily interactions while highlighting privacy concerns and ethical frameworks. The conversation also explores the metaverse's impact on identity, emphasizing the need for diversity in tech development. Additionally, they address the importance of media literacy to combat fraud and ensure informed consumer choices in our evolving digital landscape.