Artificial Intelligence applied to Extended Reality

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that encompasses Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), each offering unique ways to blend the digital and physical worlds. VR immerses users entirely in computer-generated environments, isolating them from the real world. AR overlays digital content onto the physical environment, while MR allows for more dynamic interaction between real and virtual elements. XR pushes these boundaries further by engaging multiple senses, enabling users not only to see but also to feel virtual objects — perceiving their weight, texture, and even temperature — thereby enhancing realism and immersion.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in advancing XR technologies. It enables semantic enrichment of virtual scenes, allowing systems to understand and contextualize environments. AI can reconstruct and interpret 3D spaces, correct and enhance data during 3D digitization, and facilitate the creation of virtual worlds based on real-world inputs. Moreover, AI supports seamless interaction between physical and virtual realms, making the user experience more intuitive and responsive. Despite these advancements, challenges remain — including hardware limitations, latency, and the complexity of real-time data processing. In this context, we will explore both the current limitations and the vast opportunities that AI brings to the evolution of Extended Reality.