XR post-hype: what's next?
Fri Feb 06 2026
What happens when AI moves off the screen and into your field of view?
Recorded live at Web Summit Qatar, this TechFirst episode dives deep into the real future of XR ... beyond the hype cycles of VR headsets and toward smart glasses, physical AI, and contextual computing.
Host John Koetsier sits down with Amy Peck, founder of EndeavorXR, to unpack what’s actually working in AR, VR, and mixed reality, and why the most important XR breakthroughs may not be for humans at all.
They explore:
• Why VR was never “dead” but always a destination technology
• How physical AI and robotics rely heavily on AR and spatial understanding
• Why smart glasses are emerging as the next AI-native device
• What Meta, Apple, Google, and NVIDIA are really signaling with their hardware bets
• The hidden risks of eye tracking, biometric data, and always-on augmentation
• How digital twins, virtual training, and simulation are reshaping manufacturing and robotics
• The uncomfortable truth: we’re about to let Big Tech into our most private spaces
This is a candid, funny, and deeply informed conversation about where XR is going, who will control the data, and why augmentation, not immersion, is likely the future.
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🎙 Guest
Amy Peck
Founder & CEO, EndeavorXR
XR strategist advising global enterprises, governments, and emerging tech leaders
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📌 Key Themes
XR • Smart Glasses • Physical AI • Robotics • Digital Twins • Privacy • Apple Vision Pro • Meta • AI Hardware • Contextual Computing
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👉 Enjoying the show?
Subscribe for more conversations on technology, media, and the future:
https://techfirst.substack.com
00:00 Introduction: Letting Big Tech Into Our Lives
01:05 XR vs AI Hype: Why Smart Glasses Still Matter
02:10 Is VR Dead? Destinations vs Everyday Reality
03:15 Physical AI, Robotics, and AR Navigation
04:20 Digital Twins and Training Robots at Scale
05:40 Virtual Production, Hollywood, and Convergence
07:10 Meta’s Billions: What Worked and What Didn’t
08:55 Smart Glasses Strategy: Meta’s Real Bet
10:10 Apple Vision Pro: Luxury First, Scale Later
11:45 Why Headsets Collect Dust (And What Comes Next)
13:10 Eye Tracking, Privacy, and Data Risk
14:35 Smart Glasses as the True AI Device
15:55 Wearables, Biometrics, and Health Data
17:15 Remembering People, Faces, and Conference Chaos
18:55 Augmented Notes, Meetings, and Productivity
20:20 The Future of XR: Personalization and AI
22:10 Trust, Data Ownership, and Tech Ecosystems
24:00 Sovereign AI and Global Trust Issues
25:20 AI Slop, Training Data, and Creativity Risks
26:40 Final Thoughts: The Augmented, Intelligent Future
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What happens when AI moves off the screen and into your field of view? Recorded live at Web Summit Qatar, this TechFirst episode dives deep into the real future of XR ... beyond the hype cycles of VR headsets and toward smart glasses, physical AI, and contextual computing. Host John Koetsier sits down with Amy Peck, founder of EndeavorXR, to unpack what’s actually working in AR, VR, and mixed reality, and why the most important XR breakthroughs may not be for humans at all. They explore: • Why VR was never “dead” but always a destination technology • How physical AI and robotics rely heavily on AR and spatial understanding • Why smart glasses are emerging as the next AI-native device • What Meta, Apple, Google, and NVIDIA are really signaling with their hardware bets • The hidden risks of eye tracking, biometric data, and always-on augmentation • How digital twins, virtual training, and simulation are reshaping manufacturing and robotics • The uncomfortable truth: we’re about to let Big Tech into our most private spaces This is a candid, funny, and deeply informed conversation about where XR is going, who will control the data, and why augmentation, not immersion, is likely the future. ⸻ 🎙 Guest Amy Peck Founder & CEO, EndeavorXR XR strategist advising global enterprises, governments, and emerging tech leaders ⸻ 📌 Key Themes XR • Smart Glasses • Physical AI • Robotics • Digital Twins • Privacy • Apple Vision Pro • Meta • AI Hardware • Contextual Computing ⸻ 👉 Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more conversations on technology, media, and the future: https://techfirst.substack.com 00:00 Introduction: Letting Big Tech Into Our Lives 01:05 XR vs AI Hype: Why Smart Glasses Still Matter 02:10 Is VR Dead? Destinations vs Everyday Reality 03:15 Physical AI, Robotics, and AR Navigation 04:20 Digital Twins and Training Robots at Scale 05:40 Virtual Production, Hollywood, and Convergence 07:10 Meta’s Billions: What Worked and What Didn’t 08:55 Smart Glasses Strategy: Meta’s Real Bet 10:10 Apple Vision Pro: Luxury First, Scale Later 11:45 Why Headsets Collect Dust (And What Comes Next) 13:10 Eye Tracking, Privacy, and Data Risk 14:35 Smart Glasses as the True AI Device 15:55 Wearables, Biometrics, and Health Data 17:15 Remembering People, Faces, and Conference Chaos 18:55 Augmented Notes, Meetings, and Productivity 20:20 The Future of XR: Personalization and AI 22:10 Trust, Data Ownership, and Tech Ecosystems 24:00 Sovereign AI and Global Trust Issues 25:20 AI Slop, Training Data, and Creativity Risks 26:40 Final Thoughts: The Augmented, Intelligent Future