Interview with Philip Rosedale: Exploring the Metaverse, Mixed Reality, and AI

Yesterday — well, not exactly, but close enough for jazz — I bumped into Philip Rosedale. No biggie, just the guy who’s back running the tech show at Linden Lab, aka Second Life. Honestly, the place is like Mecca for metaverse geeks, so yeah, I was a little pumped to be in their office.

Meeting Philip was mind-bending. Seriously, the dude radiates friendliness like a sunbeam. It’s one thing to hear about someone, but his creativity? Off the charts. Chatting with him felt like diving into a living encyclopedia of revolutionary ideas.

Afterwards, on a whim — or maybe a bad coffee buzz, who knows — I cornered him for a quick public chat. Yep, totally impromptu. Tried to cram every hot tech topic into ten minutes between his back-to-back gigs. We hit mixed reality, AI, and yeah, that buzzword “metaverse.” He’s got this take — radical as hell — that we should craft metaverse worlds for the wild innovators, not the mainstream folks. Honestly, it explains why VRChat is kicking Horizon Worlds’ pixelated butt.

Feel free to dive into the video below. Or, if you’re more of a reader, there’s a transcript that’s had a little TLC. If you do watch, you might catch my starstruck vibe — oops. Crossing my fingers for a full-blown interview down the line.

—

Tony: Hey, everyone! Sitting here with the iconic Philip Rosedale.

Philip: Hey. Happy to be on board.

Tony: Soooo, here I am in Second Life HQ — too cool for words. Quick questions time. “Metaverse,” that scary word no one wants to say out loud. What’s the deal? Is social VR a ghost town?

Philip: Oh, please. Far from it. Millions are still submerging themselves in virtual lands daily — be it Second Life, VRChat, you name it. It hasn’t hit the big-time mainstream yet, much like Second Life. But, it’s getting there. Sure, the experience is niche now, but there are breakthroughs coming that will widen the access. Headsets today? Meh. Still a way off feeling real.

Tony: Totally. Comfort, resolution… too many things out of creators’ hands. What can the little guys do? Those without billions like Meta or Google?

Philip: The key? Go rogue. Creativity is the ace up our sleeve. The quirkiest, most offbeat worlds win. That’s where Second Life shines — a cacophony of bizarre artistry and events. Business meetings? School? Pffft. Not ready for primetime. But let’s nurture the oddballs crafting wild experiences.

Tony: I get it. With the world’s current state of, well, craziness, isn’t diversity in virtual realms just what we need?

Philip: Virtual spaces can be safe havens. Look at Second Life — hundreds of thousands escaping their reality. Oddly comforting. A refuge when the world gets a bit much.

Tony: Let’s shift gears. Mixed reality. How do we truly connect there?

Philip: Right off the bat — no blindfolding! Headsets that obscure your eyes are a no-go. Creepy, right? Moving towards seeing devices, not blinding ones, is key. But beyond tech, we need a social handshake, a pact on sharing info. Mixed reality devs forget this, risking privacy left, right, and center.

Tony: And AI buddies? Your take?

Philip: Heart-check here. I’ve long craved connection in virtual spaces, yet replacing humans with AI sounds dicey. Although AI can enhance human friendships, relying on AI for companionship? Risky business. Society needs ethics, not profit agendas steering us off course.

Tony: OK, last one. Innovation plea time. Inspire us to craft fresh ideas!

Philip: Focus on avatars — make them lifelike with AI. Catching every nuance, every expression. We can build avatars that scream “you” more than any tech today can dream of. Push boundaries there, and we step closer to uplifting virtual worlds. AI is the tool, but our creativity is the drive.

Tony: Big thanks, Philip. And to everyone tuning in, catch you later!

Philip: It’s been a blast. Cheers!

—