Our Next Reality

How the AI-Powered Metaverse Will Reshape the World

By: Alvin Wang Graylin, Louis Rosenberg, Neal Stephenson - foreword

Narrated by: Ciaran Saward

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

"Our Next Reality does a fantastic job of giving a balanced and insightful analysis to some of the most pressing questions our society will face in the near future. The material is data driven, digestible, and very actionable." RAY KURZWEIL, Author/Entrepreneur/Futurist

"A wide-reaching exploration of the intersections between AI, VR and AR: it's a mind-opener, and a source of reflection on how transformative and still unknown the future of communication, personal technology and even personal privacy might become." SCOTT STEIN, Editor at Large, CNET

Over the last 100 years, technology has changed our world. Over the next decade it will transform our reality.

We are entering a new technological age in which artificial intelligence and immersive media will transform society at all levels, mediating our lives by altering what we see, hear, and experience. Powered by immersive eyewear and driven by interactive AI agents, this new age of computing has the potential to make our world a magical place where the boundaries between the real and the virtual, the human and the artificial, rapidly fade away. If managed well, this could unleash a new age of abundance. If managed poorly, this technological revolution could easily go astray, deeply compromising our privacy, autonomy, agency, and even our humanity.

In Our Next Reality, two industry veterans provide a data-driven debate on whether the new world we're creating will be a technological utopia or an AI-powered dystopia and give guidance on how to aim for the best future we can. With a Foreword by renowned author Neal Stephenson and section contributions from industry thought-leaders such as Peter H. Diamandis, Tom Furness, Phillip Rosedale, Tony Parisi, Avi Bar Zeev and Walter Parkes, this book answers over a dozen of the most pressing questions we face as artificial intelligence and spatial computing accelerates the digitization of our world. Find out why our actions in the next decade could determine the trajectory of our species for countless millennia.

"For anyone who wants to use AI and XR to help build the future, read this book to help you skillfully navigate a future of unprecedented danger and promise." JASON HINER, Editor in Chief, ZDNet

"Our Next Reality really is a must-read for anyone who wants to prepare for the massive AI and XR driven disruption coming our way." CHARLIE FINK, Author | Adjunct | Forbes Tech Columnist

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Alvin Wang Graylin, Louis Rosenberg, Neal Stephenson (P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Deep insight into our future from entrenched experts

As someone with more background/career experience in humanities and social science, I have been casually trying XR devices for the past five years & feverishly trying to keep pace with the latest happening in AI the past two years. These authors help explain why these two technologies are inextricably linked and provide decades of history to inform future cast ideas, outcomes, and suggested policy. It’s the most rich synthesis I’ve found yet. Well worth the time.

Outstanding holistic view of an inevitability

"Our Next Reality" does a great job taking a holistic view of the metaverse as the next evolutionary stage of the internet, interfaced spatially, whose content/context crisis will be solved by AI agents.

If you work in this space it’s a no-brainer to pick it up. Great primer for anyone curious or onnboarding.

Im also happy to see the term metaverse been decoupled again from the company Meta specifically, and no longer being a bad word 😆

I personally recommend reading the final protopia and anti-utopia stories first, read the book, then read them again. Brilliant play on metanarrative.

Informative… and frightening

This is an important book. I would recommend it to educators, policy makers, and anyone who wants to be as prepared as possible for the future, because it’s coming fast. The book really helped me think through how AI and XR technologies are coming together, and the opportunities and pitfalls that new technological revolution will bring.

Paints a Vivid Picture, Hopeful & Balanced

The authors have struck a delicate balance between hope and caution, with relevance beyond the realm of speculative futurism.
The book does a good job of reifying the transformative power of these converging technologies. As another reviewer had said, I found the protopia and anti-utopia short stories at the end of the book to be extremely effective.

As a natural pessimist, I found solace in the balanced approach in "Our Next Reality", allowing me to also take part in the optimistic outlook.

Worthy Prophets Explore our AI & XR Powered Future

Captivating exploration of AI, XR and the Metaverse that stands out for its unique structure and the remarkable qualifications of its authors, who have rightfully earned their reputations. The book is ingeniously structured as a debate, providing a dynamic and engaging format that invites readers into the heart of the most pressing conversations surrounding these transformative technologies. This format not only makes complex concepts accessible but also stimulates critical thinking, allowing readers to weigh differing perspectives about potential futures.

For anyone curious about the future of these technologies and how they will impact society, this book is an essential read. The authors (playing on the famous Steve Jobs bicycle for our minds quote) quip that by the end of the book they hope to convince the reader "the AI-powered metaverse will be the spaceship for our soul." I'm convinced.

A Multifaceted Diamond for the Modern Age

"Our Next Reality" by Alvin Graylin and Louis Rosenberg is a captivating and insightful exploration of the emerging technologies that will shape our future. The book combines expert knowledge with engaging storytelling, making it highly accessible and fascinating.

The authors address the potential societal, ethical, and personal implications of XR and AI technologies and offer their varied perspectives on the potential benefits and disadvantages these radical technologies could bring to society. With real-world examples and forward-thinking ideas, this book is not just about technology; it's an informative and inspiring vision of what is possible, what is probably, and what might be problematic about this range of potentials.

With a foreword by Neil Stephenson, who wrote about these potentials 30 years ago in his science fiction epic novel Snow Crash, this book anchors a view of our techno present as one that is posed at an inflection point. The last 30 years of development, which are today realized in modern XR headsets and AI labs, make "Our Next Reality” read like a beacon illuminating 30 years hence, coloring the sci-fi writings of Stephenson, Gibson, and Cline like prophecy rather than prose.

As a developer of this coming future myself, I appreciate this rare find, which offers both a deep, well-grounded perspective on these technologies and a thoughtful examination of their broader implications for our humanity. I'm grateful to the authors for this elucidating journey and highly recommend it to others interested in ensuring we come out on the brighter side of this radically advancing paradigm shift for our creative work, play, health, education, collective human agency, and intelligence.