In this episode of Lead with AI, host Dr. Tamara Nall speaks with Dr. Mark van Rijmenam, a strategic futurist recently recognized as the world's best futurist and one of the 16 leading voices in AI globally. Dr. van Rijmenam shares his vision of the metaverse as "the next playground for humanity," where digital and physical realities converge, potentially replacing smartphones and computers with sleek glasses or smart lenses within the next decade. He warns about the dangers of deepfakes, sharing how a major engineering firm lost $25.6 million to criminals using AI-generated board members in a video call, and offers practical advice for verification in this "post-truth world." The conversation explores his pioneering work as the creator of the world's first TED talk in virtual reality and the first-ever digital twin that allows people to interact with him via text, audio, and video in 29 languages. Dr. van Rijmenam discusses the convergence of technologies like AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and synthetic biology, emphasizing adaptability as the essential skill for thriving in our rapidly changing future.