The AI XR Podcast.

On this week’s AI/XR Podcast, Charlie Fink and Rony Abovitz welcome Ananya Chadha, founder of Quander.co, a startup building AI-powered marketing agents for businesses of all sizes. Chadha, a Stanford grad with experience at Neuralink and IBM, is betting that distribution—more than product—is the defining challenge for small and large businesses in an age of content overload. Quander’s tools scrape social platforms for niche conversations and automate personalized outreach, while also optimizing ad creative based on performance data. The hosts discuss AI’s growing role in media and marketing, Meta’s $3.5B investment in Luxottica, and the rise of “AI slop” across the internet. They also touch on Nvidia’s $4T valuation and XR news from Zoom, Mentra, and Sesame. 

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Recorded in Prague, this special episode of the AI/XR Podcast features Charlie Fink in conversation with Somnium Space founder and CEO Artur Sychov. Charlie test-drives the $3,500 Somnium VR1 headset—so sharp it out-resolves human vision—and the two dive into the future of immersive tech. Artur lays out his no-nonsense definition of the metaverse: it’s not the metaverse if it’s not in VR, not persistent, and not decentralized. He praises Apple’s Vision Pro as the best dev kit ever made and says VisionOS could be the foundation of spatial computing for the next 50 years. Meta, on the other hand, gets a reality check for spending $100 billion while still depending on Apple and Google’s platforms.

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This week’s AI/XR Podcast featured Randy Marsden, former Apple exec and co-founder of Skidattl, an AR platform for creating geo-anchored virtual signage. Charlie, Rony, and Ted discussed Apple’s AI strategy, Tim Cook criticism, and Skedaddle’s potential as a practical AR utility that doesn’t rely on headsets or complex tools. In the news: Anthropic scored a partial legal victory on fair use, though it still faces potential copyright penalties; Meta saw a major suit dismissed. Charlie recapped his Forbes story on Chronicle, a new studio using AI to analyze fandom data and grow YouTube-native IP into film and TV. He also reviewed new all-in-one video creation platforms—Arcana Labs, Electric Sheep, and MovieFlo—that simplify AI video production. The hosts debated AI “slop” and audience taste, defending the creative potential of emerging workflows despite concerns. Skidattl’s mission to “tag the real world” with lightweight AR won praise for its simplicity and real-world applicability.

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In this episode of The AI/XR Podcast, the hosts are joined by Scott Stein, contributing editor at CNET, to discuss the evolution of XR devices and the implications of spatial computing. In the news, Disney and Universal sued Midjourney, which has just released an AI image-to-video model to its subscribers. Google's Veo 3 excels at simulating AI vlogs, so the socials have been flooded with Star Troopers, Bigfoot, and Jesus meme videos. Guest Scott Stein reflects on his experience reviewing emerging tech for the past fifteen years, starting with computers and smartphones, which led to his coverage of XR. He emphasizes the challenges of evaluating early-stage products that promise future utility but may not yet deliver on their potential. The conversation explores the tension between immersive hardware aspirations and real-world practicality and the critical role of AI in resolving this tension. Throughout the episode, Stein expresses cautious optimism, acknowledging that while the path to mainstream adoption remains unclear, the intersection of AI and XR is undeniably reshaping computing’s next chapter.

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*Warning* Bad sound quality - apologies!

In this special live edition of the AI/XR Podcast from Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2025, hosts Charlie Fink and Ted Schilowitz are joined by returning guests from Zappar, co-founders Connell Gauld (CTO) and Casper Thykier (CEO) and Auki Labs' CEO Nils Phil, to explore how AI and spatial computing are merging in real-world environments. The conversation spotlights Zapper’s Mattercraft platform and its use of “accessible QR codes” to enable spatial navigation and real-time AR experiences without downloading an app. Nils  introduces the idea of “collaborative machine perception” as a necessary condition for robots to navigate and work in the physical world—what he calls the “great reversal,” where AI exits the digital and enters the real. Later, XR Guild co-founder Avi Bar-Zeev joins to discuss ethics in XR, the need for community mentorship, and the importance of preserving the creator ecosystem in the age of AI scraping. The conversation closes with personal reflections on past projects like Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride, Google Earth, and HoloLens.

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In the latest episode of The AI/XR Podcast, the discussion is focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and filmmaking, highlighted by insights from industry entrepreneur Bryn Mooser, founder of Asteria Studio. The news segment begins with an overview of Meta's shift towards automating ad creation, raising concerns over the potential disruption of traditional advertising roles. Mooser shared his vision for Asteria Studio, emphasizing that AI should enhance, rather than replace, the creative process for filmmakers. He discussed a recent collaboration on a hybrid live-action AI film, connecting the narratives of technology and artistry. The podcast examined how AI tools could democratize filmmaking, allowing small teams to produce high-quality content while maintaining creative control, and pondered the philosophical implications of AI art. As the episode concluded, the hosts predicted a new golden age of storytelling driven by technological advancements, alongside concerns about the potential job displacement within the industry and the enduring value of great storytelling skills in an evolving landscape.

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Rony and Ted welcome Angela Dunning, an attorney at Cleary Gottlieb specializing in AI and copyrights. With Charlie on vacation, they switched up the format, bringing Angela in at the top of the show, lacing news tidbits throughout. The big news this week was Google I/O, highlighting the $250/month Gemini Ultra model and the Veo 3 video generation tool, now offering voice. Rony expresses a bit of cynicism as Google once again re-re-enters XR. The conversation veers into the philosophical and legal future of machine authorship and sentience. Angela draws on her experience litigating the “monkey selfie” case to explain current copyright limitations, but notes shifting standards, including a recent case where an entirely AI-generated image was granted protection, due to extensive human control. She emphasizes the importance of human authorship, distinguishing between derivative output and directed creation.

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This week the hosts dive into the Trump's AI tour of the middle east, funding news for Gen-AI companies, and gen-AI in the metaverse (Meta's builder bot is back!), Roblox adds ecommerce, and VRChat an avatar shop where users can sell unique creations, This led to a conversation about the pioneering role of Second Life. Our guest is Ori Inbar, CEO of the upcoming 16th edition of Augmented World Expo in Long Beach, CA, from June 10 - 12th. He told us the theme of this year show, which features Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, Anduril and Oculus founder Palmer Lucky, and game industry legend Nolan Bushnell. In addition to recording an episode of the AI/XR podcast from the expo stage, there will be special programs like the Gaming Hub and Builder's Nexus. With XR crossing into the mainstream, as evidenced by significant sales of smart glasses and broad participation from industry leaders, the panel emphasizes the collaboration between AI and XR as essential for future advancements. 

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In the latest episode of "The AI/XR Podcast," the hosts welcomed Nikola Todorovic, co-founder of Wonder Dynamics, to discuss key developments in the entertainment and technology sectors. The conversation began with insights into Netflix's new vertical video content strategy and the evolving role of devices in content consumption. The hosts then explored the integration of AI in Meta's Ray-Bans, addressing concerns about user data exploitation while highlighting the technology's potential to disrupt traditional smartphone usage. Todorovic detailed Wonder Dynamics' innovative approach to CGI character creation, leveraging AI to streamline the filmmaking process and reduce costs.

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In the latest episode of the AI/XR Podcast, the hosts engage in a dynamic panel discussion featuring guest Joan Bajorek, author of Your AI Roadmap. The conversation opens with a recap of recent corporate earnings, highlighting Meta's success and the competitive landscape involving Microsoft, Google, and Apple. Bajorek shares her personal experiences with job displacement in the AI sector, emphasizing the need for individuals to adapt their careers in the face of AI advancements. She outlines strategies for resilience, such as building a personal brand, networking, and diversifying income streams. The panel addresses the economic implications of AI, advocating for the development of micro-businesses over reliance on gig work, and raises concerns about public awareness regarding AI’s impact on employment. Discussions also touch upon financial education, the potential need for Universal Basic Income, and the challenges some individuals may face in adapting to AI changes. Also, Charlie is giving away tickets to AWE in Long Beach June 10 -12th. That's a $900 value. Contact him via charliefink.com. First come, first served.

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