The Supreme Court has agreed to hear TikTok’s challenge to the law banning the popular short-form video app, setting the stage for a significant First Amendment test. TikTok and civil liberties groups argue that banning the platform infringes on free speech and unfairly targets one medium of expression. Meanwhile, supporters of the law say it’s necessary to protect national security and users’ personal data from foreign adversaries. The court’s decision to take the case suggests heightened judicial interest in policing online platforms and their content. The ruling could determine the balance between digital freedoms, government regulation, and global security. I think social media platforms should be regulated. The entire industry is an unregulated swamp of ghastly crimes, fake news, and conspiracy theories created for folks “doing their own research.” Go ahead and ban Tik Tok, but don’t think the problem is solved with TikTok gone and Meta policing itself.
Meta Joins Musk In Open-AI Lawsuit, Challenging Its Transition to a For-profit company. These days Musk and Zuckerberg seem to have more in common than cage fighting: they both support Trump (low taxes, no regulation, bigger government contracts, etc.) and they’re both going after upstart OpenAI, proving that the enemy of your enemy is indeed your friend. In a letter, Meta accused OpenAI of breaking its original charitable commitments, arguing the company raised large, tax-exempt funds promising to prioritize public benefit. Allowing it to now profit sets a dangerous precedent, says Meta, encouraging others to exploit non-profit status and then convert once profitable. Meta supports Elon Musk’s fight against OpenAI, noting Musk’s early involvement and understanding of its original mission. Meta believes OpenAI must remain committed to its non-profit origins, protecting both investors and the public’s trust.
Backflip 3D Gen-AI startup Launches from stealth with $30 million. Founded by repeat entrepreneurs behind Markforged, Backflip aims to radically accelerate how products are designed and built. Its proprietary AI model can generate photorealistic, 3D-printable objects from text descriptions and images, enabling designers and engineers to move far faster than with traditional CAD software. NEA and Andreessen Horowitz led the round with industry figures like Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott and LinkedIn co-founder Rich Miner, participating as angel investors. Backflip’s technology dramatically shortens the design-to-production pipeline, empowering anyone to create complex, high-resolution 3D models in minutes. The company believes its tools will revitalize American manufacturing, enhance national security, and spark a new era of broad innovation.
Samsung and Google will incorporate Google’s Gemini AI technology into Android XR OS, enhancing AR/VR capabilities and potentially offering more natural interaction. The XR headset is likely to be Android-based, leveraging Samsung’s established supply chain and Google’s software expertise. Scheduled for release sometime in 2025, the partnership reflects intensified competition in the immersive technology space, as tech giants race to bring more powerful, AI-driven experiences to consumers worldwide.
Meta faces a strategic dilemma in moving away from Google’s Android to its own Horizon OS for future AR/VR devices. The company’s current XR headsets rely heavily on a modified Android platform, but Meta wants more control over its ecosystem. Building Horizon OS from scratch promises deeper integration, better performance, and tighter user data handling. However, developing a full-fledged operating system is complex, time-consuming, and risky. Android offers stability, broad developer familiarity, and easy updates. While Meta’s long-term vision involves creating a unique XR experience powered by Horizon OS, striking the right balance between independence and practicality remains a significant challenge.
Google has introduced Veo 2, its latest AI-powered video generator claimed to surpass existing systems in audience evaluation tests. A successor to the SORA model, Veo 2 can produce complex multi-scene videos guided by user instructions, displaying improved coherency, quality, and thematic consistency. According to Google’s internal assessments and user surveys, Veo 2 delivers higher audience satisfaction scores than its predecessor. The system uses advanced diffusion techniques and incorporates human feedback to refine results, aiming to streamline production for creators and marketing teams. While still in early-stage research, Veo 2 signals Google’s ambitions in automated content generation and advanced generative AI tools.
“Party Versus” is a new mixed reality party game for Quest 3 that merges virtual objects and interactions with your real-world space. Designed for local multiplayer, it encourages friends to gather around one headset, taking turns while viewing mixed reality gameplay through the device’s color passthrough. The game transforms ordinary rooms into playful arenas, blending digital and physical elements for a uniquely social experience that combines immersive VR fun with in-person interaction.
This column, formerly called “This Week in XR,” is also a podcast hosted by the author of this column, Charlie Fink, Ted Schilowitz, former studio executive and co-founder of Red Camera, and Rony Abovitz, founder of Magic Leap. This week our guest is Shelly Palmer, CEO of the Palmer Group. We can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.
What We’re Reading
Top XR Events Coming in 2025.
Founder Says first Metaverse Second Life Spent $1.3 B Building Second Life, and Has Paid Creators over $1 Billion
