Oh boy, let me tell you about this day-before-yesterday whirlwind where I had this unexpected sit-down with Philip Rosedale, the brains behind Second Life. Just walking into Linden Lab was an experience itself — like stepping into some digital Disneyland for geeks. Anyway, Philip’s back swinging as CTO, and I had this just gotta-pinch-myself moment realizing I’m in the OG metaverse hub.
Philip blew my mind, seriously. The guy’s like a walking, talking idea machine. Friendly? Check. Inspiring? Double check. We had this chat — if you can call me being starstruck a “chat” — and it left me buzzing. Like, isn’t it just the best thing when you meet a smart cookie and you get to soak up all that brainy goodness? That was Philip for me.
Oh! And totally off the cuff, I thought, why not grab a quick interview too? No big prep, just a few spicy questions about the hot tech trends: mixed reality, AI — and of course, The Metaverse. We squeezed it all into a tiny 10-minute window between meetings. His take? The world isn’t ready for the mainstream metaverse. So creators, gear your stuff towards the wild thinkers! Explains why VRChat is slaying and Horizon Worlds… well, not so much.
Feel my excitement popping off the screen if you catch the video below (or hey, go for the transcript if you fancy). Fingers crossed for a round two with Philip because there’s always more to dig into. Enjoy!
Alright, here we go. Jumping into the convo like it’s a live wire:
Tony (that’s me, btw): Hey folks, the one and only Philip Rosedale here with us.
Philip: Hi! Great to be here.
Tony: Man, I’m geeking out at this Second Life joint. First-timer over here! Metaverse talk is kinda… taboo now, right? I mean, did it all fizzle out, or what’s your take?
Philip: Nah, man, it’s not extinct. People are still popping VR headsets on, hanging in worlds like Second Life and VRChat. It just never hit that mass audience vibe. Yet. Cool for a select crowd, sure, but we aren’t really there. We chatted today, I think things will flip and these worlds will grow. But heads up—current VR headsets ain’t cutting it. Comfort, resolution… lots lacking.
Tony: Oh, creators aren’t calling the shots there. We just roll with it. But hey, you’ve crafted legendary stuff. What do us regular creators do to shake things up? How to innovate on a dime, without the billions?
Philip: It’s about letting loose with creativity. The quirky, the strange, that’s where it clicks. Second Life thrived ’cause it got weird. Artsy, offbeat events, just crazy experiments. Like… powered by pure creative juice! Work meetings, school—eh, not there yet. Keep feeding those wild uses and strange ideas. It’s key.
With the world… whoo, it’s a scary, simple, black-and-white place, getting polarized. But stepping into virtual worlds shakes it up. They offer a palette of diverse ideas. Yeah, like Second Life. It’s an oasis, a safe beam for folks needing escape. I dig working here. Some lifeline, in a way.
Tony: Bang on. The virtual realm’s a trip. But, hold up—a personal question burning inside, mixed reality. How do we—do we even—socialize there?
Philip: Well, we need eyes wide open, right? Covering ’em is like playing blind poker. Weird! Scary, honestly. No eye-blocking headsets is my bet. That’s progressing, sure, but slow and steady.
Also, we need this ‘social contract.’ Like, when we meet—perhaps at AWE—we agree on sharing info. Consent: what to share and not to. Mixed reality devs kinda miss the boat with privacy. I mean, in my office, devices need to ping databases to ID spaces. Big privacy hurdle. But figuring this out… opens doors, really.
Tony: Time’s ticking, but gotta ask—the AI friend trend. Yay or nay?
Philip: Tricky stuff! I’ve built connections human-style all my life. AIs displacing genuine pals? Eek, bad call. AIs might aid friendship, but risk outweighs reward. AI companions over real ones? Major no-go. We need society calls, not biz ones steering this.
Tony: Closing with a zinger—your invite to innovators out there…?
Philip: Innovation lies in the avatars, facial expressions. AI could nail this, make avatars… human. Way more so than now. Tackling this tightens bonds in virtual worlds. We’re on the brink. AI tech can bridge gaps into amazing online spaces.
Tony: Whoa, blown away! Huge thanks for reading this, and Philip, big thanks for the time. Adios!
Philip: Been fantastic. Take care!
And scene!
