Augmented World Expo 2025 Highlights XR Industry Growth and Innovation

The Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2025 is set to be a landmark event for the extended reality (XR) industry, drawing over 6,000 attendees, 400 speakers, and 300 global exhibitors from June 10 to June 12 in Long Beach, California. This gathering highlights the rapid growth and evolving focus of XR technologies, shifting from sci-fi inspired metaverse hype to practical, immersive applications in enterprise and consumer markets.

Key industry leaders such as Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, Atari cofounder Nolan Bushnell, and Oculus/Anduril founder Palmer Luckey will share insights on the future of XR. Ori Inbar, CEO of AWE, emphasizes the need for "head-turning content that must be experienced" to push XR into mainstream adoption. The event also features a new Builders Nexus program aimed at startups, providing resources to accelerate innovation and market entry.

The XR industry is navigating a complex landscape where artificial intelligence (AI) is both a potential disruptor and an enabler. Meta, despite reprioritizing some resources from XR to AI, continues to invest heavily in AR/AI glasses, while Apple’s Vision Pro headset marks a significant entry into the space. The unexpected alliance between Meta and Anduril, led by Palmer Luckey, signals strategic collaboration blending XR and AI technologies.

Several innovative companies will showcase their latest XR solutions at AWE 2025, including:

• Pico VR, celebrating its 10th anniversary, presents the Pico 4 Ultra Enterprise headset with advanced WiFi7, hand and full-body motion tracking, targeting location-based entertainment markets that have surged 1,000% recently in China.
• Convai offers generative AI-powered 3D avatars for immersive brand experiences, education, and enterprise training, enabling non-technical users to create lifelike simulations without coding.
• Doublepoint introduces gesture control technology via smartwatches to enable intuitive AR and XR device interaction, with a growing developer community and new programs supporting indie developers and startups.

The event’s diverse speaker lineup also includes pioneers and executives from Lucasfilm, Qualcomm, Niantic, Meta, Google, Warner Records, and more, reflecting the broad ecosystem shaping XR’s future. From immersive content innovation to ecosystem strategy, these voices underscore XR’s transition from niche to mainstream.

As XR technology matures, the integration with AI and the focus on practical applications in gaming, enterprise, and location-based entertainment are setting the stage for widespread adoption. The question remains: will AI overshadow XR, or will these technologies propel each other forward? AWE 2025 offers a front-row seat to this unfolding narrative.