An Insightful Interview with Philip Rosedale on the Metaverse, Mixed Reality, and AI

Two days ago—or wait, was it three? Who keeps track anyway—I landed the chance to chill with Philip Rosedale. You know, the guy who’s now the big tech brain at Linden Lab again. Yeah, that means Second Life. So, this was my ticket to peek inside the place that kinda started the whole metaverse scene.

Honestly, meeting Philip? Total buzz. The guy’s super chill, genuinely inspiring. Had this feeling like my brain got a bit of a workout after our chat. His ideas just pop out like fireworks, always something unique. It’s one of those times you’re like, “Wow, glad I didn’t skip this.”

The convo flowed so well, I thought, heck, why not squeeze in a quick public chat? Just to let others catch a bit of his spark, you know? Didn’t prep loads, but threw a few hot topic questions his way. Dang, we zipped through stuff like mixed reality, AI, and yep, the whole metaverse jazz. Something that hit me was his take on tech not being “mainstream-ready” for the metaverse scene. Looping back, it kinda explains why VRChat might be outshining Horizon Worlds. Brainwave moment there.

You can scope the vid below, or read a tweaked version of our little back-and-forth. Warning: My excitement’s kinda obvious in the vid. Maybe next time, a longer sit-down? Fingers crossed.

—

Tony: Yo, folks. Guess what? I’m chilling with THE Philip Rosedale here.

Philip: Hey. Glad to be here.

Tony: So, I’m at this Second Life spot—my first time, and it’s kinda wild. Just wanna nab a few mins, throw some questions at you. So, “Metaverse” isn’t exactly the buzzword these days. People dodging it like it’s Voldemort or something. What’s your angle on that? Is this whole social VR thing tanking, or what?

Philip: Nah, it’s not over. Millions still hitting up virtual worlds daily. Second Life, VRChat, all those are still kicking. Mainstream? Not yet, but it’ll get there. Right now, suits only a few million. Eventually, virtual worlds will open doors for more folks, once tech catches up. Current VR headsets? A bit meh. Still too fake.

Tony: Totally, they need to up their comfort game. Creators like me, feels like we’re just along for the ride while big guns like Meta and Google hold the wheel. What’re your thoughts? Any tips for us non-corporates on sparking change?

Philip: Honestly, the winners are those going all out with creativity. Second Life worked ‘cause it was, well, let’s say… odd. Loads of experimentation happening. Art, events—outside-the-box stuff keeps these worlds ticking. Business meetings in VR? Sure, cool in theory, but just not happening right now. Encouraging the quirky, allowing innovation—that’s the ticket.

Tony: Yeah, diversity in experiences. World’s way too cookie-cutter now—opinion soup and all. Anyway, shifting gears to mixed reality. Socializing there, any thoughts?

Philip: Mixed reality? Can’t hide the eyes with headsets. Feels like poker, but with more… discomfort? Headsets are getting there, slowly. But, we need a “social contract.” Like, what do we even share when we meet? Privacy’s a biggie.

Tony: Time’s tight, but seriously, how do you feel about AI buddies compared to human pals? You’re all about connection, right?

Philip: AI replacing real interaction? Risky business. Making connections globally—yes. AIs aiding humans, possibly. But not letting them replace real relationships. Ethical sandbox, not business blueprint.

Tony: Before wrapping up, gimme a word to spark ideas. We’re hungry for something fresh over here.

Philip: Easy. AI plus avatars. Nailing those expressions, making avatars pop realistically. When that happens, virtual world experiences step up.

Tony: Magic stuff. Appreciate the chat, Philip. You folks still hanging in? Thanks for reading!

Philip: Awesome. Take care.

—

And there you have it. A rollercoaster chat with a legend. Definitely hope you felt a bit of that spark too.