Aaron Frank is a researcher, writer, and lecturer at Singularity University. He is focused on the intersection of emerging technologies and accelerating change and is fascinated by the impact that both will have on business, society, and culture. As a writer, his articles have appeared in Vice’s Motherboard, Wired UK, Forbes, and Venturebeat. As a speaker, Aaron has lectured for audiences and organizations including the CIA, The Department of Defense, The Coca-Cola Company, Under Armour, Headquarters Air Force and more. He routinely advises large companies, startups, and government organizations on trends related to a broad set of emerging technologies, with a focus on augmented and virtual reality.
Show notes:
2m How Aaron began his work at Singularity University and focusing on Virtual Reality - Early experience with an Occulus Rift - “It’s a tool that can take you to any experience that you can imagine.” 5m What is possible with VR, what is significant about it? - How Aaron used VR to master his fear of public speaking 10m How we can collapse timelines between our dreams and reality - VR allows us to practice, embody, and experience our desires - It is a tool to train for and learn how we wish to be - Creates a means to get into flow states - Pushing our boundaries and practicing things we are uncomfortable with through VR 18m What are the ethics around VR? - It’s a very persuasive technology, a tool that can be used for good or harm - Being studied at Communications/Social Policy lab at Stanford 22m What are the regulations for using VR? - Congressional hearing on some of the effects of VR suggests a lot of uncertainties - The similarities to video games - Possibilities of trauma induced by a VR experience 30m Opportunities to create healing experiences in VR - Research and modalities have been in development for years - Using the “false body illusion” as an example of how we can manipulate our brains 38m Real-estate using VR to do business - 12,000 person company distributed through VR ecosystem 40m Second Life as an example of what’s possible in virtual worlds - IBM had an office in this virtual world, U2 threw a concert - Similar to the book/movie Ready Player One 49m The nature of exponential technology with respect to VR - The rate of innovation accelerates - The new Occulus product as an example of this 53m What would excite you the most in the space of VR? - Kevin Kelly’s prediction of a million person flash mob - Just this past weekend there was a 10 million person dj party in the videogame Fortnite 55m For more of Aaron’s articles see https://singularityhub.com/author/afrank/ and follow him on Twitter @AaarondFrank