Latest AR, XR, and AI Industry Updates

🚀 The Rise of Agentic AI in XR Development For years, AI in development mainly meant generating content or assisting developers — things like writing code, generating textures, or creating NPC dialogue. But a new paradigm is emerging: Agentic AI — AI systems that can plan, decide, and execute tasks autonomously. Instead of just helping developers with small tasks, AI agents can now participate in the development workflow itself. This is especially powerful in XR development (AR / VR / MR) where workflows involve multiple steps such as scene creation, scripting, physics setup, interaction design, testing, and optimization. ⸻ 🧠 What Makes AI Agentic? A true agentic system can: ✔ Plan tasks ✔ Execute multi-step workflows ✔ Use external tools ✔ Iterate and improve results ✔ Work toward a defined goal autonomously In simple terms: You define the goal → AI determines the steps. ⸻ 🛠 Agentic AI Tools Emerging in XR Development 1️⃣ Bezi AI An AI-powered platform focused on 3D and XR scene generation. Example prompt: “Create a VR showroom with interactive product displays.” Bezi can automatically generate: • 3D environment layout • Object placement • Basic interactions • Export-ready scenes for game engines. ⸻ 2️⃣ Model Context Protocol (MCP) MCP is an emerging AI integration standard that allows agents to interact with development tools and software environments. For XR pipelines this could allow AI agents to: • Access Unity or Unreal projects • Modify scripts and assets • Trigger builds • Run automated testing • Optimize scenes This enables AI agents to operate inside the development pipeline. ⸻ 3️⃣ NVIDIA Omniverse AI Agents Within digital twins and simulation workflows, AI agents can assist in building and managing complex 3D environments. Use cases include: • Smart scene assembly • Simulation automation • Industrial XR training environments • Digital twin interaction systems ⸻ 4️⃣ Convai (Agentic NPC Systems) Convai enables autonomous AI characters that can: • Perceive environment context • Hold conversations • Perform tasks based on goals • Act as intelligent training or simulation charact This is especially powerful for VR training, simulations. ⸻ ⏱ Impact on XR Development Agentic AI is starting to change XR workflows: • 30–50% faster prototyping • Reduced manual scene setup • Automated scripting assistance • Intelligent simulation agents Developers increasingly shift from manually building everything to guiding intelligent systems. ⸻ 🌍 The Future XR Pipeline XR development is evolving through stages: Manual Development ↓ AI-Assisted Development ↓ Agentic XR Workflows Soon developers may simply describe an experience like: “Create a VR safety training simulation for factory workers.” And AI agents will help orchestrate the pipeline — from scene creation to interaction logic and testing #AgenticAI #XRDevelopment #Unity3D #UnrealEngine #ImmersiveTech #VR #AR #AIagents #FutureOfWork

Spatial computing just had its most important month in a while. Hardware's heating back up. Enterprise blockers are falling. And memory itself? It just became... a place to be explored. Here are the 5 signals that matter most 🧵: 1/ Meta + Anduril: AR goes to war (and then to work). Meta is partnering with Anduril to deliver EagleEye, a rugged XR headset for the U.S. military—blending Meta’s optics + AI with Anduril’s battlefield OS. This isn’t about combat. It’s a blueprint for industrial AR—built for field work, logistics, energy, and more. The frontline interface for digital twins just got real. 2/ Apple Vision Pro quietly filled major enterprise gaps With visionOS 26, Vision Pro now supports Team Device Sharing. Your calibration & settings follow your iPhone—making shared headsets practical. More importantly: Shared Spatial Experiences means real-time, multi-user collaboration is now native. Apple didn’t shout about it—but this should accelerate enterprise adoption 3/ Snap + Niantic are building the AR Cloud. Snap’s new Specs (2026) will run Snap OS, feature OpenAI/Gemini AI, and support real-time contextual experiences. They also announced a multi-year partnership with Niantic Spatial to map the real world with centimeter precision. The result: persistent AR that everyone can see, everywhere. 4/ Real-time avatars just took a major leap. Apple’s new Personas look… eerily human. Google’s Project Beam? It uses Gemini AI to animate your likeness—so it can speak as you. Soon, your avatar could pitch, train, or meet… without you. This isn’t about avatars. It’s about the performance of self. 5/ 4D GSplats: Your memories just became places. A breakthrough from 4DV.ai turns regular videos into 3D scenes you can explore—with time as a dimension. Pause. Scrub. Walk around. All in your browser. It’s like stepping into a memory, not just watching it. And it hints at a future where our past is spatial, explorable, and alive. So what does all this mean? Check out the latest Dream Machines post here: https://lnkd.in/gUyDpRZe And if you enjoy, be sure to subscribe! Much more to come on spatial, AI, and the future of being human.

Google I/O just clarified its strategic vision for XR: a powerful, AI-driven Android XR platform poised to redefine human-computer interaction. This is less about new hardware, more about a fundamental shift in intelligent, ambient technology. From my vantage point in AR/VR and AI for sectors like Defence and Medical, Google's emphasis on Gemini AI powering everyday wearables is a critical validation. The Warby Parker and Gentle Monster smart glasses, featuring real-time translation, navigation, and smart capture, are not just fashion statements; they're the embodiment of proactive, context-aware assistance, moving XR into truly ubiquitous applications. This dual strategy, alongside Samsung's Project Moohan (standalone XR headset, Q4 with Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2) and XREAL's Project Aura – is brilliant. It cultivates both immersive experiences and elegant, pervasive utility, essential for broad ecosystem growth. For innovators and developers, Android XR with Gemini Nano offers a robust, privacy-first foundation for building next-gen, agentic AI applications. This signifies a leap towards devices that anticipate needs, enhancing workflows across consumer and enterprise landscapes. This isn't just a consumer play; the implications for industrial applications – from advanced training to operational efficiency – are immense. What are your predictions for how AI-powered spatial computing will transform our industries? #GoogleIO #AndroidXR #XR #SmartGlasses #AugmentedReality #AI #GenerativeAI #GeminiAI #WearableTech #Innovation #TechStrategy #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation #YashBhalkar #SpatialComputing #EnterpriseAI

Meta leads the global XR (AR/VR headset) Market; AR glasses captured one-fourth of the share in Q3 2025, Counterpoint Research VR is slowing, while AR+AI smart glasses are expanding the market into a more “daily-wear” form factor, and that naturally fragments shares. #Meta still led VR but felt the slight slowdown. Meta's shipments dipped 4% YoY and share fell to 57% (from 71% in Q2). At the same time, AR smart glasses hit their highest-ever quarterly shipments, pushing AR to ~25% of total XR volumes, with #MicroLED rising to 25% of AR shipments. Meta’s strategy is clear with Ray-Ban Meta Display: enter early, scale fast through mainstream eyewear distribution, and make #AI + camera glasses a daily habit while displays mature. Notably, sales began Sept 30, so Q3 sell-in reflects just one day; the real signal will be Q4 demand and how quickly Meta can convert “glasses” into its next platform. RayNeo’s rise is what “right product at the right moment” looks like in #AR+AI glasses. It’s less about spec wars and more about shipping volume as the category moves to everyday utility. Sony remains the steady premium anchor with #PSVR2, because ecosystems beat one-off hardware cycles. When content and platform gravity are strong, you don’t need to win units; you win engagement. XREAL is quietly riding the shift toward display-led smart glasses as the mainstream “personal screen” use case forms. If comfort, optics, and portability keep improving, this lane will expand faster than many expect. PICO XR is proving that #XR demand for enterprise and location-based entertainment can still move meaningful volume. In a soft market, predictable deployments matter more than hype-driven launches.

In AWE ...🥽 Just returned from AWE Europe, more convinced than ever that we are on the cusp of a reality-shifting moment in AI and XR. Here’s what I see coming—and why we need to start preparing now! 1️⃣ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀, 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹: XR is evolving from a novelty to a part of our daily lives. Imagine a world where AI-driven augmented reality (AR) layers respond to your unique needs and preferences, reshaping retail, education, and social interactions in real-time. This personalized layer of reality is both exhilarating and unnerving - especially as our privacy and data become intertwined with these experiences. 2️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: XR offers more than immersive visuals. It can become a tool for empathy and understanding across cultures. As virtual worlds blend with our own, we will be able to see from others’ perspectives, strengthening our connections in unprecedented ways. But, let’s proceed with caution: there is a fine line between authentic connection and manipulation in curated XR experiences. 3️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲: We are already seeing demand for skills in digital storytelling, ethics, and human-centered design to make these experiences sustainable and inclusive. For professionals: now is the time to upskill and embrace these emerging technologies - XR will touch every industry, from healthcare to manufacturing. 4️⃣ 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: We are entering an era where companies will have access to our emotional data, preferences, and even our unconscious responses in XR environments. Ethical governance is not optional -it’s essential. We must prioritize transparency and consent to keep these digital layers equitable and safe for all. 5️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱" 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Imagine a city overlay that optimizes itself in real-time, improving traffic flow, resource allocation, and even environmental conservation based on live data. XR will allow us to create a “mirror world” that adapts to our collective needs. But we need to be cautious of bias. Data-driven realities are only as fair as the algorithms behind them. 👥 It’s time to start the conversation on responsible, ethical XR. The future of immersive reality is beyond cool - it’s game-changing. Let’s make sure it’s a future we can all trust and be proud of. #AWE2024 #XR #AR #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork

The past two months have brought a wave of new spatial devices, from Valve’s latest VR hardware to Samsung’s Galaxy XR and a range of AI glasses from Meta, Even Realities, and others. With all this activity, it’s easy to focus only on what’s ahead. But Snap’s latest numbers on AR usage are a reminder of something simple. Augmented reality is already part of daily life. It has been here for years and has become so common that we barely talk about it. Snapchat deserves real credit for that. Back in 2015, they made AR mainstream by turning Lenses into a core part of social media. Fast forward to today, and Snap says more than 350 million people use AR on Snapchat every day, triggering about 8 billion Lens interactions per day. Once we all spewed rainbows from our mouths, filters and lenses became routine rather than emerging technology. More importantly, they shaped how people mix digital content with the physical world, which will play a key role in how we adopt post-smartphone devices like smartglasses and handle the growing volume of AI content. Decorating ourselves with AR on social media also paved the way for uses that now feel commonplace, such as virtual try-on for shopping or AR wayfinding to navigate a city. Mobile AR changed how people explore and buy products. It made what many still think of as a technology of tomorrow, a mundane tool of today. I like to think that AR filters are playing a role in preparing us for the wave of AI-generated content now filling our feeds. We’ve spent years navigating visuals that weren’t entirely real. That experience might help build the awareness needed to interpret what is genuine reality and what is not, at a time when generative images and video are everywhere. Mobile AR has become the unsung hero of XR. It’s so baked into how we communicate, create, and shop that we barely notice it anymore. That familiarity is also why the flood of generative AI content doesn’t feel as jarring as it could have. We’ve spent years blending digital elements into the real world through a phone screen. That normalcy is what will help AR glasses fit in when they arrive. They won’t feel like a leap. They’ll feel like the next step in habits we already practice every day, carried forward by the quiet success of mobile AR. #spatialcomputing #augmentedreality #smartglasses #AI

#CES 2026 wasn’t “AI everywhere.” It was AI moving from prompts → presence. AI is getting ambient, sensing, proactive. More intelligence is moving on-device (faster + privacy). Robots are proliferating as task specialists. Glasses/XR are going vertical (job-specific utility). Batteries + form factors are becoming use-case specific. The "so what" by industry: Automotive: shift to services-based ownership. Make maintenance seamless (predict → schedule → pay) so owners don’t think about it. CPG: products aren’t enough. Add category services + “machine-readable proof” so assistants recommend you by default. Retail: big retailers build AI ecosystems; smaller ones must partner (like delivery coalitions). Healthcare: care moves closer to life. Use pets to pilot wellness plans + monitoring engagement, then port learnings. Vet/Pet: create a subscription services relationship: monitoring → triage → preventative care. Restaurants: loyalty can’t be points. Pick your lane (value/access/personalization/community) and build a loyalty experience. High-tech: the UI is shifting to voice + vision + context. Design for “glance/no UI.” ISP/Wireless: beyond bandwidth—bundle edge AI + security + reliability in a few vertical plays. Transportation/Airlines: XR + AI hits ops first (training/maintenance/turnaround). Remove the top 3 time sinks. The CES question: Where will your brand be present—not just visible—when AI starts acting on behalf of people? #CES2026 #AI #EdgeAI #OnDeviceAI #Robotics #XR #Innovation #CustomerExperience #Retail #CPG #Automotive #Healthcare #Telecom Russell Wager Gabe Munch Bobby (Rajeev) Modi Mel Halkyard Laura Gustafson Andrew Solmssen Jordan Ste. Marie Sabrina Callahan Jay Picconatto Chaney Youngblood Heather Conneran Kieran Donahue Jason Villano Scott S. Lindsey McGowan Sarah Knox Allen McCormick Geraldine Tunnell Liz Matthews Nicole Rex Peter DeMaris Justin Ungs Samantha Hayes Chris Johnson Dan Khabie Kenny Tomlin Bourke Kelley Robyn Freye Julie Koepsell Preston Larson Morgan F. Michael Maginnis Scott Hamm Dan Pereira Kayla Brodman Marc Blaskey Alyssa Chico Ravine Lauren Anthony Miller Barbara Hudson

'I Tried Google and Samsung's Next-Gen Android XR Headsets and Glasses, and the Killer App Is AI' - CNET, Scott Stein Scott Stein, Editor at Large, at CNET got to experience an all-seeing, all-listening AI companion this week when he got his first taste of the Google and Samsung's Next-Gen Android XR Headsets and Glasses at Google's headquarters in New York City. "Android XR, which is available in early form for developers now and will fully launch in 2025, promises a whole OS for headsets and glasses of all types and is a bridge to Android phones. But its killer app, the one Google is clearly banking on, is its AI, Gemini." "Google's President of Android Ecosystem, Sameer Samat, equates multimodal AI to a "Tony Stark" moment: "What these [AI] models can do using the cameras on the phone as a way of interacting with the world, it was truly blowing us away. Wouldn't this be perfect for a pair of glasses?" "Google and Samsung have a lot of AR/VR plans for 2025: Android XR will launch then, and so will Samsung's headset. But Android XR will also work with Android phones and other headsets and glasses ranging from VR to AR to Meta Ray-Ban-like smart glasses. Glasses are very much on Google's roadmap. I also got multiple demos of display-enabled, Gemini-equipped smart glasses from others, each with floating head-up displays. These glasses, part of Google's AI initiative code-named Project Astra, are part of what's coming next." 'Gemini as an always-ready agent: Am I ready for it?' "Through all of these demos, Gemini's one-tap-away readiness was a constant. That's clearly Google's push here by design. But it's also the most eye-opening, surprising part of everything I experienced. AI, no matter what your concerns about it might be, can be extremely helpful in a headset or glasses where inputs like a keyboard or touchscreen are harder to access." 'Android XR will open doors between phones, headsets and everything else' "One big thing seems clear, though: With Android XR, all sorts of headsets and glasses will be able to bridge into phones more easily than before. That could allow a whole host of otherwise isolated products to feel more knitted together in a way..." #CNET #Google #Samsung #GoogleGemini #AndroidXR

Weekend Research Deep Dive #05 — AI-Enhanced XR for Learning & Training (2024–2025) Continuing the weekend series where I break down one high-value research area for builders, educators, and XR/AI practitioners. This week’s theme: How AI-driven personalization, adaptive feedback, and multimodal interaction are transforming XR learning from static experiences into responsive learning systems. 🔹 This week’s reads 1. Evaluating eXtended Reality (XR) and Desktop Modalities for AI Education   Feijoo-Garcia et al., 2025   https://lnkd.in/gEp5zHxx Shows that immersive XR environments outperform desktop learning for AI education in engagement and retention, highlighting the role of spatial interaction in deeper cognitive processing. 2. LLM-Based Adaptive Feedback in XR Learning   Gianni et al., 2025   https://lnkd.in/g78BBHpf Introduces an AI-driven XR framework that adapts feedback and difficulty in real time, improving learner motivation while raising important design and ethical considerations. 3. Multimodal Natural Interaction for Wearable XR   Wang, 2025   https://lnkd.in/gidn4zJ6 Reviews AI-enabled interaction methods such as gaze, gesture, and voice, showing how natural input expands immersion and reduces interaction friction in learning environments. 🔹 Why it’s worth your coffee AI + XR is moving beyond immersion toward adaptive learning systems. The research points to three key shifts: 1. Adaptive learning loops   XR systems increasingly adjust guidance, pacing, and difficulty based on learner behavior. 2. Cognitive-aware design   AI enables XR experiences that manage cognitive load instead of overwhelming users. 3. Measurable learning outcomes   Behavior traces and interaction data make skill progression observable and assessable. 3 takeaways for practitioners: • Start with pedagogy first — XR + AI delivers value only when aligned with clear learning objectives.   • Use multimodal interaction intentionally — gaze, gesture, and voice should simplify learning, not distract.   • Track learning outcomes alongside engagement — immersion alone does not guarantee understanding. Question for the community: If you were designing an AI-enhanced XR learning system today, where would you focus first? (A) AI-guided tutoring   (B) Adaptive difficulty & feedback   (C) Multimodal interaction   (D) Learning analytics & assessment #XR #AI #HCI #EdTech #ImmersiveLearning #SpatialComputing #Research

XR Failed for 15 Years. AI Might Finally Make It Worth Wearing. XR—short for extended reality, including augmented, virtual, and mixed reality—has been the “next big thing” since 2010. At this week’s Google I/O, they quietly unveiled Android XR glasses fused with Gemini artificial intelligence. No hype. No moonshot keynote. Just a product that might finally make XR useful. It got me reminiscing. Nearly 15 years ago, we partnered with Columbia’s computer science department to bring BIM into the field using AR. The software didn’t exist—we built it. The headsets cost $15K. Real prototypes. No users. Unaffordable. Unwieldy. Unaware. Unloved. We were too early. Why? Because XR never had what disruptive tech needs: The right tools, the right context—and social acceptance. Strap something to your face in a professional setting, and you’re not amplifying your presence. You’re blocking it. Just ask the Apple Vision Pro user quoted in The Wall Street Journal: “It looks like you’re wearing ski goggles at work.” He sold his $3,500 headset for $1,900 and doesn’t miss it. XR didn’t fail from lack of power. It failed because it got in the way. But that might be changing. Google’s new XR glasses aren’t just wearable—they introduce artificial spatial intelligence: AI that sees what you see, hears what you hear, and helps before you ask. If they’ve finally figured that out, the use cases could be game changing: •Data centers: Eliminate blind spots—thermal spikes, stray loads, cable faults—all shown visually in real time •Healthcare: Surgical assistance, patient history overlays, disease detection—an on demand AI clinician •Construction: Safety hazard analysis, progress monitoring, quality assurance—hands-free, on-site This isn’t about whether Google nailed it. It’s about whether XR finally has the ecosystem it’s always needed. XR didn’t fail from lack of vision. It failed by blocking the view. #AI #XR #SpatialComputing #IntelligenceAugmentation #SmartOps #BuiltEnvironment #DataCenters #HealthcareInnovation