The complexity of emerging technologies made simple and understandable.
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Spatial AI
In this new edition of the “Future: Us and Web 3.0” newsletter, we focus on Spatial Artificial Intelligence. We look at summer vacations through the lens of new AI glasses, which we’ll be seeing more and more often in the coming weeks. We also look at the abundance of immersive videos populating social networks, self-driving cars, and the state of the art of AI and Virtual Reality in Italy (and how these changes are changing the role of CIOs/CTOs).
Smart Glasses
We briefly retrace the history of this object from the perspective of user and business experiences and services, with an eye on Big Tech investments. New partnerships and established interests involving Ray-Ban, Meta, Oakley, Essilor Luxottica, Google, and Gentle Monster, and we retrace the path paved by key events that originally involved companies such as Bose, Salmoiraghi Viganò, Facebook, and Google.
News
Oakley and Meta are collaborating on a new category of high-performance AI glasses, featuring endorsements from Kylian Mbappé (World Cup winner) and Patrick Mahomes (three-time Super Bowl MVP).
Google is investing in Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster and continuing its smart direction with its glasses highly integrated with the Android operating system, with further innovations expected at the upcoming “I/O” event in 2026.
Apple is reportedly preparing a lighter headset, Vision Air, and smart glasses (with a twist).
OpenAI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appears in public wearing unusual glasses (which he claims are not smart) as he continues the project he is working on with John Ive (former Apple Chief Design Officer).
Chinese Brands
Other leading smartphone companies are entering the smart glasses market: Xiaomi presented the “Human x Car x Home” event, packed with presentations of “spatial” AI services, i.e. off-screen, with interesting details and previews of their glasses models and the XiaoAI assistant.
Huawei continues to develop its own glasses.
Baidu is preparing its “AI Xiaodu” (powered by its Ernie AI models).
ByteDance (TikTok holding company) is also tinkering and eagerly awaiting the opportunity to upload photos and videos to its social network, a tremendous boost for this type of user.
Physical AI – Self-Driving Cars
On the Physical (or Spatial) AI front, let’s take a look at what’s happening in the world of self-driving cars. Waymo is arriving in New York with its cars already field-tested in San Francisco, and Tesla is testing in Paris, Rome, and London.
Virtual Reality
Although virtual reality is less talked about, this technology is evolving in professional and industrial contexts, becoming increasingly central to areas such as design, training, and technical support. A documentary with the provocative title “VR is Dead!” demonstrates this well. What was once called the “metaverse” is evolving: less hype, more reality. Access to digital worlds is becoming increasingly natural, integrated, and accessible.
GenAI 360 Video – Immersive
We also analyze some examples of new immersive solutions that allow the creation of realistic digital environments from simple text input. The automatic generation of visual spaces is no longer a futuristic idea, but a concrete reality made possible by advanced software.
You can find all the details and more recommendations for a selection of readings and much more news and curiosities in the full article available (in italian language) on Linkedin.
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This “Newsletter” category within the site is dedicated to fresh articles that explore the different aspects of the Future concept. A journey towards the new internet, or rather the new web, carried out objectively, avoiding dangerous enthusiasms as well as banal clichés, listening to the opinion of many people who are moving in this world successfully but also with some perplexity.
