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. The discussion covered the company's pipeline integration, its pricing model, and how its tools are already being utilized in notable projects like Netflix’s "The Electric State." 

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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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In this episode, hosts Charlie Fink, Rony Abovitz, and Ted Schilowitz discuss viral AI-generated media and concerns over synthetic content verification. They touch on identity theft issues arising from unauthorized use of voices in AI avatars. The conversation shifts to Infinite Reality’s controversial $3 billion funding claim, which Forbes investigated but found inconclusive. They introduce guest Sam Liang, CEO of Otter.ai, who recounts founding Otter to capture and make human voice data searchable. Liang describes Otter’s early partnership with Zoom, the company’s evolution into a major AI transcription platform, and its competitive advantages in voice data. He highlights Otter’s new AI meeting assistant capable of proactive participation and outlines future plans for multilingual support and independent voice agents.

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In the latest episode of "The AI/XR Podcast," hosts Charlie, Rony, and Ted welcome Adam Draper of Boost VC. First we dive into pressing industry news, including Google’s monopoly verdict and OpenAI’s user base. Adam shared his investment philosophy focused on making small pre-seed bets to minimize risk while highlighting innovative ventures like Prospera, a special economic zone in Honduras fostering biotech advancements. The conversation continued with Adam discussing ethical considerations in tech investments, emphasizing trust and accountability among founders. He concluded with insights on the future of robotics, predicting an upcoming boom fueled by accessibility and affordability of technology for young innovators.

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In the latest episode of "The AI/AR Podcast," hosts Charlie Fink and Ted Schilowitz welcomed John Gaeta to discuss his innovative project, Escape AI, which serves as a platform for emerging creators using cutting-edge technologies like game engines and generative AI. Gaeta described how Neo Cinema represents a new wave of storytelling that gives space to unconventional narratives often overlooked by mainstream streaming services. He outlined the platform's vision, showcasing a curated network of artists and fostering community engagement through social viewing features akin to Crunchyroll's model. With a monetization strategy focused on direct support for creators, Escape AI is set to launch its fundraising round after an initial pre-seed investment of $1.5 million.

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In this episode Charlie and Ted celebrate reaching over a million downloads before diving into news which includes OpenAI’s $40B raise and $300B valuation, Runway’s "paltry" $380M in funding, the fate of TikTok, and the rapid evolution of cinematic AI. Our guest is futurist, producer, and investor Patty Rangel, who recounts her journey from theater to tech, her pioneering work with holography and VR, and her involvement with Singularity University, OpenAI, and the 2045 Initiative. Rangel shares insights on training AI agents, ethical AI development, and the vision of digital immortality through avatars, all while blending theater, space travel, and futurism.

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This week on the AI/XR Podcast, Charlie, Rony, and Ted welcome Nils Pihl, CEO of Auki Labs, and Caspar Thykier, CEO of Zappar, to discuss a massive retail rollout in of indoor virtual positioning systems in Sweden. In the news, OpenAI’s $12B revenue and projected $125B by 2029 set off fireworks. Rony floats Sam Altman as Tim Cook’s successor. Charlie suggests Apple needs a bold move—like acquiring OpenAI—to recover from Vision Pro’s underperformance and Siri’s years of neglect. Auki Labs' decentralized protocol, PoseMesh, uses scannable QR codes and self-hosted data to guide robots and humans through physical spaces. It's a killer demo: a blind person navigating to a bathroom via an app clip, no headset required. 

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This week Charlie and Ted welcome an old friend, Bob Cooney, the world's preeminent expert in location-based entertainment, who has just wrapped his own VR Arcade and Attractions Summit in Las Vegas. He's particularly excited by the portable MR theme park being developed by Brent Bushnell (Two Bit Circus), who keynoted the show. In the news, Big tech wants a preemptive pardon for copyright infringement. With the administration’s open contempt for the media and Hollywood, and the influence of Elon Musk, who owns Xai, they'll get it. Sorry Rony was not here. His head is going to explode. Some good cinematic AI news, too, with a dramatic report on new AI-first production companies.

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In the latest episode of the AIXR Pod, the team engages in a dynamic discussion about SXSW. Guest David Nussbaum, founder and Chairman of Proto, an innovative holographic technology The podcast kicks off with a recap of South by Southwest, where Ted and Charlie dissect the event's diminishing impact and highlight noteworthy XR experiences, including Cameron Costopoulos's winning entry. The focus then shifts to Proto's applications across various sectors like public spaces and healthcare, detailing its technical aspects and exciting future developments, including a projected sub-$1000 home device. David shares insights on Proto's successful celebrity usage and potential in arenas, politics, and government. 

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