Quick Interview with Philip Rosedale on the Metaverse, Mixed Reality, and AI

Wow, okay, so let me tell you about something wild that happened the other day. Two days ago, to be exact. Yeah, let’s dive right into the deep end here. I actually got to chill with Philip Rosedale. Yes, the man himself. Kind of still can’t believe it. Oh, and just to set the scene—he’s back at Linden Lab as the CTO, which means, you know, Second Life is kind of calling his shots again. So I figured, why not march myself over to the office of the OG metaverse, right?

Uh, let me just say—it was like stepping into another world, even before fully entering their virtual world. There was something kinda magical—or maybe it was just me being starstruck. No clue. Philip though, wow, he’s like this fountain of creativity. Ideas are just, like, popping out of his head like those surprise fireworks. It’s refreshing talking to folks who’ve got the stuff going on upstairs, and Philip? Total brainiac.

Anyway—wait, so after the usual pleasantries, I thought, why not do a spontaneous little interview? Wasn’t part of the plan, really. I mean, who truly plans? Just me and Philip, chilling with a quick-fire Q&A session. We had barely 10 minutes before his calendar snatched him away. We jumped from mixed reality to, wait for it, the metaverse. Yes, that word still sends buzzwaves.

One answer from him stuck. Something about how the tech isn’t quite metaverse-ready for everyone. So, like, focus on those wild ones? Innovators. Made me think about why VRChat is doing its thing over Horizon Worlds. Heck, who even knows?

Now, if you’re the watching type, the interview’s in the video below. Or scroll right past to read about how jittery I sound talking to a living legend. Trust me, the nerves were real! Hoping for another round of dialogue with him someday.

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Tony: Greetings! Today, a special treat. Philip Rosedale, a living enigma, joining me.

Philip: Hello! Good to be here.

Tony: Awesome to finally be inside Second Life’s heart. Never been. I need to know—everyone tiptoes around the word “Metaverse” now. What’s your take? Are social VR days numbered? Just a passing trend or…?

Philip: It’s not over, believe me. Millions are still in these digital realms daily—Second Life, VRChat, others. They never cracked mainstream. Someday, you’ll see. Problem is, current headsets… well, they’re just not there yet. Feels unreal.

Tony: Exactly. We demand comfort, and clarity, and more—just more everything. As a creator, with many tuning in who are creators themselves, what can us regular folks do? Not mega-corps like Meta or Google. Us.

Philip: Well, see, those who let imagination run wild—those are the game changers. Second Life thrives on the bizarre. Events, art, creativity—it thrives there. Go beyond the conventional.

See, vanilla notions like meetings or classes—they’re not sticking. Not yet. Rather, nurture the quirky use of virtual realms. That’s where the magic is.

Those spaces are shelters, crazily enough. World’s getting raw—simplified, even. Polarized? Perhaps. But in virtual worlds, diversity reigns.

Second Life, VRChat—they’re safe havens for those seeking refuge. Working on Second Life has been enlightening. People live there, really live.

Tony: Preach. Virtual chatter aside, mixed reality—how do we break ground socially in that space?

Philip: First hurdle—don’t blindfold people. Mixed reality becomes off-putting if head-eyes are covered. Some headway being made. You get what I mean, right?

Another angle? Social contracts for mixed reality. Imagine us with cool futuristic gear—what are we sharing? Data must be guarded.

In offices, like right here? Devices invade privacy to map spaces. Can’t have that. We need to balance tech with trust before we leap.

Tony: Parting shot, then—your life’s work revolves around human links. How do you feel about AI as friends?

Philip: Tread lightly. Sure, connecting beings is my mantra. Virtual friendships enriched me. But AI buddies? That’s a minefield.

AIs might connect us better, but backfire potential looms. They’ll swoop in, claim our time, and reality blend… that’s risky. Go ethical, not corporate. Don’t replace human touch.

Tony: Here’s an open-ended closer: inspire the dreamers reading this.

Philip: Blend AI with avatars; amplify expressions—they could morph our existing digital scapes. Right now, our avatars—they’re uncanny, movements not real enough.

Envision avatars mimicking your every nuance. Like, a clone in the digital realm. It’s doable. Keep dreaming—new worlds await. Tech tides will steer us there eventually.

Tony: Captivating stuff. Really, big thanks to Philip for his insights today. Catch you later.

Philip: Delighted, really. Bye!