How extended reality is changing the world around us
With the help of multiple technologies, Extended Reality, including VR, AR, and mixed reality, is already transforming digital and physical experiences.
About the series
PwC Tech Talks is an ongoing series where we delve into the importance of emerging technologies for businesses. Led by Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton, immersive technology leaders at PwC, episodes feature guests from industry, government and academia giving their perspective.
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Tech Talks: Meet the hosts
Episode 1
What happened to the metaverse?
Our hosts, Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton, were joined by expert Asha Easton to explore the Metaverse's evolution, origins, and enduring technology brilliance. Together, they discussed its rise, current state, and explored why the term 'Metaverse' is falling out of favor, while the underlying tech retains its enduring value.
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Tech Talks #1: What happened to the metaverse?
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How business leaders should think about the metaverse in 2023
After two years of hype, should the metaverse still be on the corporate agenda? Author and advocate Matthew Ball explains why the answer is yes.
Salesforce Automotive Cloud and the metaverse
Increasing customer lifetime value by delivering a new, direct to consumer buying journey.
The impact of the metaverse on the insurance industry
In this report, we focus on these three concepts—experience, economy and governance—to examine the potential impact of the metaverse on insurance companies.
Episode 2
Spatial computing: The final storytelling medium?
In this episode, our hosts, Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton, delve into the world of Spatial Computing as the potential final storytelling medium. They explore the technology-agnostic nature of storytelling, its historical roots, and its immersive benefits in consumer and business contexts. Discover the captivating evolution of storytelling and its enterprise applications.
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Tech Talks #2: Spatial computing: The final storytelling
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A brief history of tech skepticism
Writing off emerging technologies too soon is a centuries-old practice. Are we right to be so dismissive?
Do you have the courage of your convictions?
The pace of change can paralyze some executives. It’s time to develop a more dynamic relationship with risk-taking and failure.
Six reasons successful leaders love questions
Asking questions and listening to the questions of others helps leaders make better decisions.
How innovation has been the twist in our climate change story
Human ingenuity caused environmental crisis but also has potential to solve it, says Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Kolbert.
Episode 3
Did virtual reality exist in the 1800s?
In this fascinating episode, hosts Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton explore the historical roots of VR, dating back to the 1800s. They discuss the evolution of VR hardware from stereoscopes and its characterization in the early, middle, and late 20th century. Special insights are shared by the 'godfather of VR,' Tom Furness.
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Tech Talks #3: Did virtual reality exist in the 1800s?
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A metaverse that works
The May issue of strategy+business reveals concrete actions companies can take to find real-world value in virtual reality.
Responsible XR: Building an extended reality foundation we can trust
Learn about the questions and risks to consider when investing in extended reality (XR) technology to build a trusted foundation for your business.
Sensing the metaverse with cutting-edge tech
Think the metaverse is all virtual and no reality? With sensory cutting-edge tech, the truth will be far more realistically experiential. And maybe, malodorous.
How insurance claims estimators can use AI to increase efficiency, reduce cycle time and improve customer experience
Using “explainable AI” and image recognition technology to scale insurance claims estimation process
Episode 4
Are virtual worlds an effective platform for education?
In this episode, hosts Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton, along with guest Muhsinah Morris, explore the effectiveness of virtual worlds as an educational platform. They delve into how immersive technologies like VR enhance learning experiences, discuss their effectiveness compared to traditional methods, and consider the role of tech in upskilling students for the future workforce.
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Tech Talks #4: Are virtual worlds an effective platform for
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Unlocking empathy through the power of virtual reality
PwC UK’s innovative In My Shoes racial awareness intervention training is enhancing empathy and shifting unconscious bias by creating opportunities to step into someone else’s world.
What does virtual reality and the metaverse mean for training?
V-learning can help drive a new age of enterprise training, delivering a cost effective, immersive, efficient experience to train employees on soft skills.
VR training to upskill employees faster
Virtual Reality can help business leaders upskill their employees faster, even at a time when training budgets may be shrinking and in-person training is trickier.
PwC’s study into the effectiveness of VR for soft skills training
Our study examines the effectiveness of VR training which has been used to improve our leaders' diversity and inclusion behaviours.
Episode 5
What impact is AR and VR having in healthcare?
In this insightful episode, hosts Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton, along with guest Neesa Mangalaparathy, explore the transformative impact of AR and VR in healthcare. They discuss the adoption of these technologies, unique use cases in healthcare settings, considerations for patient safeguarding, and key factors that will contribute to scaling their adoption in the healthcare industry.
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Tech Talks #5: What impact is AR and VR having in
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Harnessing extended reality to improve healthcare delivery and health equity
Learn how metaverse technologies like extended reality in healthcare can improve delivery, growth and health equity.
The business leader’s guide to the metaverse
What kind of metaverse strategy, if any, should your company have? Get started answering that question with this rundown. Learn the key metaverse concepts, then start taking practical action.
Responsible XR: Building an extended reality foundation we can trust
Learn about the questions and risks to consider when investing in extended reality (XR) technology to build a trusted foundation for your business.
Getting to work in the metaverse
PwC’s Metaverse Deals Tracker highlights the investments that a broad range of players are making in the next digital platforms and ecosystems.
Episode 6
A new study on the benefits of VR for collaboration
How does Virtual Reality compare to video conferencing when working together remotely with others? We collaborated with the University of Münster to answer that very question. In this episode hosts Jeremy Dalton and Alex Ruhl speak with André Henke from the German Ministry of Internal Affairs in Lower Saxony and Nilusha Aliman from the University of Münster to discuss the findings in more detail.
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Episode 7
Do digital assets have a future?
What do horse armor, a blue party hat, and a luxury purse have in common? From video game items to NFTs, join hosts Jeremy Dalton and Alex Ruhl on a journey through the controversial history of digital asset sales as we attempt to conclude on the value of the virtual.
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tech talk 7
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Demystifying cryptocurrency and digital assets
Learn about different types of digital assets, including blockchain-based digital assets, cryptocurrencies, NFTs and what these mean for businesses.
Series 5 Episode 7: Digital assets - the global march of regulation
In this episode, guest host Andrew Strange is joined by Amanda Wick, Founder and CEO of the Association for Women in Crypto, and Laura Talvitie, Digital Assets Lead in PwC’s Financial Services Regulatory Insights team, to delve into the world of digital assets.
Episode 8
Quantum computing: the end of cyber security?
Have you ever wondered what Quantum Computing is and why it's so significant for our future? Join hosts Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton as they interview Kei Kumar, who has vast experience and a number of patents relating to quantum computing. We'll discuss promising applications of the technology, the risks it poses, and challenges to its growth.
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The new Essential Eight technologies
From AI to virtual reality, emerging tech is driving business reinvention. See which are ready to scale, apply to new use cases or experiment with.
Quantum Computing
The era of quantum computing is here. PwC will help you to explore the quantum potential and leverage this technology for your business.
Episode 9
The essential eight technologies you need to know
In 2016, we analyzed more than 250 technologies to shortlist the "Essential Eight". Based on advances since then, we've updated and organized the list into three categories that reflect how business leaders can prioritize their efforts with these technologies: expand, evaluate and experiment. Hosts Alex Ruhl and Jeremy Dalton are joined by PwC UK Emerging Tech leader Darshan Chandarana and PwC Global AI leader Scott Likens who discuss the rationale behind shortlisting these technologies.
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Tech Talks #9: The essential eight technologies you need to
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