The Metavethics Institute has recently announced that Dr. Louis Rosenberg, a renowned expert in the field of augmented reality, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, has joined as a scientific advisor. The news has sparked excitement and curiosity among those interested in the ethical implications of VR and AI and its impact on society.
Dr. Louis Rosenberg is a lifelong metaverse pioneer, starting over thirty years ago in virtual reality labs at Stanford University and NASA Ames Research Center. In 1991 he pitched the idea of mixed reality to Air Force Research Laboratory and was funded to build the Virtual Fixtures platform, the world’s first mixed reality system that enabled users to interact with a unified spatial environment of real and virtual objects. The system went beyond sight and sound, enabling users to reach out and feel when real and virtual objects collided in 3D space.
Dr. Rosenberg was so convinced of the potential of immersive worlds; he founded the early virtual reality company Immersion Corporation in 1993 and brought it public on NASDAQ. He then founded the early augmented reality company Outland Research in 2004 and the human-focused artificial intelligence company Unanimous AI in 2014. Rosenberg was also a tenured professor at California State University. He has published over 100 papers and has been awarded over 300 patents for his work in VR, AR, and AI. He has also been a leading advocate for the safe and ethical use of immersive environments and AI technologies, writing often about the need for greater transparency and accountability at all levels.
The Metavethics Institute is a research institute focused on exploring the ethical and social implications of emerging technologies, in particular, digital, virtual, and immersive environments, including the repercussions AI has on them. The Institute aims to bring together experts from different fields to engage in interdisciplinary research and dialogue on the ethical issues surrounding these technologies. By joining the Metavethics Institute, Dr. Rosenberg will be able to contribute his expertise to promote research ethics and integrity in VR, AR, XR, and AI.
Two snapshots of Dr. Louis Rosenberg working on Mixed Reality thirty years apart
One of the key areas of focus for Dr. Rosenberg and the Metavethics Institute will be the development of research programs to unfold the ethical implications of VR, AR, and XR in combination with AI. VR, in combination with AI, is increasingly being used to make decisions that have significant impacts on individuals and society as a whole, from healthcare to criminal justice to finance. However, these systems are often opaque, making it difficult for people to understand how they work and why they make the decisions they do. This lack of transparency can lead to mistrust and skepticism about these emergent technologies, as well as concerns about bias, accessibility, safety, and discrimination.
Another area of focus for Dr. Rosenberg and the Metavethics Institute will be the development of advocating programs that foster the dissemination of evidence and findings of the research projects that will be developed. To address these issues, Dr. Rosenberg and the Metavethics Institute will be working to develop research and educational programs that are designed with ethics and inclusivity from the ground up. This could involve developing new partnerships, and collaborations, and using technologies that are less susceptible to bias, as well as developing new frameworks and guidelines for ensuring that VR, AR, and XR technologies are accessible by promoting equity and social justice.
The appointment of Dr. Louis Rosenberg to the Metavethics Institute represents an important step forward in the development of ethical VR, AR, and XR technologies. With the continuous work that the Metavethics Institute is doing in running cutting-edge research programs, and developing educational experiences while partnering with top experts and researchers in the world it is possible to ensure that digital, virtual, and immersive environments are developed in a responsible and ethical manner, promoting the well-being of its users and society at large.
Do you want to become a Metavethicist?