Apple Vision Pro, Meta's Headsets & WALL-E: Jack Dorsey's Quirky Take on Future Tech

Jack Dorsey, the tech visionary behind Twitter, shared his insights on Meta Platforms Inc. META and Apple Inc. AAPL as companies push into the mixed reality headset, drawing parallels with science fiction and expressing concerns about a “WALL-E— esque future. 

What Happened: In an interview posted on Monday, the co-founder and former CEO of the microblogging site surprised the audience with his unconventional perspective. 

When asked about companies like Meta and Apple’s foray into augmented and virtual reality, Dorsey urged people to turn to science fiction for clues about the future.

See Also: How Does Apple’s Vision Pro Compare With Meta’s Quest 3?

“If you want to understand the future of any technology, just read science fiction. They’re actually the roadmap writers,” he asserted, emphasizing the impact of books like “Snow Crash” by Neal Stephenson. Dorsey viewed the rise of AR/VR headsets as an inevitable evolution with immense potential for gaming and user interface enhancement.

However, Dorsey also expressed concerns about the potential consequences of such technologies, cautioning against the possibility of people becoming even more out of touch with reality and society. 

Drawing an intriguing parallel, Dorsey mentioned the animated film “WALL-E” by Pixar, which portrays a future where humanity lives in floating chairs, consuming food through straws and indulging in constant entertainment. 

This interview was a significant event for Dorsey, marking one of his first public appearances discussing various topics since stepping down from Twitter’s board. The tech visionary also voiced his support for presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., apprehensions about artificial intelligence, and thoughts on Elon Musk’s time at Twitter. 

Why It’s Important: Last week, YouTuber Marques Brownlee shared a thought-provoking observation highlighting a potential connection between Apple Vision Pro and  Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One,” concerning excessive immersion in the virtual worlds leading to neglect of real-life responsibilities.

Research conducted by the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates reveals that VR gaming can potentially induce addiction, resembling drug or alcohol addictions, thereby impacting both the VR users and those associated with them.

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