Extended Reality: The Future of Interaction
Extended reality (XR), is impacting the future of community building by changing the way communities interact and connect.
Josh Fairfield, the Bain Professor of Law and Director of AI at Washington & Lee University School of Law, brings nearly two decades of expertise in virtual environments, including virtual, mixed, augmented, and extended realities.
In this stream, he joined Todd Nilson to explore how XR technologies are reshaping the community industry in unprecedented ways, as well as current challenges and opportunities within the field of AI.
About Josh Fairfield
Josh Fairfield is the Bain Professor of Law and Director of AI at Washington & Lee University School of Law. He has taught, published, and consulted with private and government clients on the law of virtual environments, virtual reality, mixed reality, augmented reality, and extended reality for nearly twenty years.
He regularly consults with legislative bodies on the regulation of cryptocurrency, and has written extensively about crypto economies.
Show Notes
Social Media versus Cozy Communities (0:00): As a society, it is becoming harder to realize how enmeshed extended reality is within day-to-day lives. Fairfield states another caveat is while technology can bring individuals together, there is more incentive to keep humanity in solitude so they turn to more screen time. Nilson poses the question of loud, noisy social media platforms compared to smaller, cozy communities that foster connection.
Proximity and Stimuli (18:02): Fairfield mentions the book he’s working on, The Social Con, as a play on the social contract. Special consideration should be given to the fact that everything around smartphones is tracked and there is still not adequate privacy regulations. Humans have stronger reactions to stimuli in the immediate environment and extended reality is attempting to recreate that.
Creating Community Platforms (30:39): Two issues when it comes to creating virtual community platforms are the size of the space and also aesthetics of looking good. The question becomes how to you recreate the kitchen energy: an intimate, communal space where people come for nourishment?
Legal Considerations (40:30): Real economic harm can be a risk when community members invest money into virtual “toys” that can be taken from them. Ownership of products should be clear or legal pursuit can be an outcome. Systemic risk is listed as the second biggest concern, as law struggles to keep up with technological advancements. Circling back to Fairfield’s book, he mentions key factors and considerations to create thriving communities.
