Veo’s AI Video Memes, Vuzix Raises $5 Million, And More On AWE 2025

First there was the Talking Baby Podcast and its thousands of descendants on social media, all created using AI apps like Hedra and Hey Gen. Now Google’s Veo 3 AI image generator, released at Google I/O three weeks ago, is hyperscaling meme vlogs that feature Star Wars Storm Troopers, Bigfoot, and Jesus. It’s like group development of intellectual property. Who owns Bigfoot, or Jesus?

Andreessen Horowitz a16z ventures released a new market map for text-to-video and image-to-video companies.

Vuzix Secures $5M Investment as Veteran Smart Glasses Maker Sets Sights on Consumers. Vuzix secured a $5 million investment from Quanta Computer, a major Taiwanese ODM and Apple assembler. This marks the second tranche following a $10 million investment from Quanta in September 2024, with Vuzix aiming for a total of $20 million. CEO Paul Travers says the new funding will be used to enhance Vuzix’s waveguide manufacturing, supporting the company’s goal to deliver affordable, lightweight, high-performance AI smart glasses for mass-market adoption. The deal also strengthens Vuzix’s partnership with Quanta and boosts its advanced waveguide production capabilities, positioning the company to better compete as the consumer smart glasses market heats up.

Midjourney launches its first AI video generation model. The move into video generation is a significant expansion for the company, previously known for its popular image generator. With V1, users can upload a single image and prompt the AI to create short video clips that bring the image to life, adding motion, effects, and cinematic transitions. The service is available to Midjourney’s paid subscribers.

World first: brain implant lets man speak with expression — and sing.
A groundbreaking medical achievement has enabled a man who could not speak intelligibly to communicate with expressive speech and even sing, thanks to a brain implant. Electrodes were implanted in the motor cortex, the brain region responsible for speech, allowing researchers to decode his intended speech from neural activity. This technology not only restored his ability to speak with natural prosody and emotional nuance but also enabled him to sing, a world first.

AR/VR Market Rebounds with 18.1% Growth in Latest Quarter; Mixed and Extended Reality to Drive Long-Term Expansion, says IDC. The global AR/VR market surged by 18.1% in the latest quarter, signaling a robust rebound after a challenging period. This growth is fueled by new device launches, increased enterprise adoption, and more compelling consumer content. IDC highlights that mixed reality (MR) and extended reality (XR) devices are driving long-term expansion, as they offer more versatile applications across industries like healthcare, design, and education. The report predicts continued double-digit growth, with hardware improvements and AI-powered features accelerating adoption. As XR ecosystems mature, IDC expects broader mainstream acceptance, especially as price points decrease and content libraries expand. The market’s momentum suggests immersive tech is becoming a core part of digital transformation strategies worldwide.

Meow Wolf and Niantic Spatial explore expansion of multimedia art with AR. Known for its immersive art entertainment venues, Meow Wolf is partnering with Niantic Spatial to collaborate on location-based AR. By leveraging Niantic’s location-based AR platform, Meow Wolf can extend its signature surreal storytelling beyond physical spaces.

Meta AI gains video editing capabilities. This update allows creators to perform tasks like trimming, color correction, adding effects, and even generating new video content through conversational commands.

Penrose Studio Calls It Quits. Eugene YK Chung, founder, CEO and director of the multi-award winning spatial 3D animation house announced the news himself in a social media post. “After an unforgettable decade, we have decided – together with our board and shareholders – to close Penrose Studios. In the early days a handful of believers crowded my SoMa apartment, convinced that stories could surround us. Over time we pushed technical boundaries and crafted experiences that shaped that endured was commitment: teammates who burned midnight oil, investors who backed uncharted frontiers, partners who opened doors, and explorers who slipped on headsets to enter our worlds. My heartfelt thanks go out to all of you. Wired Magazine called Penrose’s VR film “the first VR Film masterpiece!” In 2017, I wrote a Forbes column titled “Meet the D.W. Griffith of VR”, praising Chung’s pioneering work in immersive storytelling. Penrose’s “Arden’s Wake” won Best VR at the Venice Film Festival in 2018. Unfortunately, being the best isn’t always enough.

More on AWE 2025

AR In VR: 15 Years Of Augmented World Expo With Ori Inbar Augmented World Expo (AWE) started in 2010 with 300 attendees and has grown into a major XR event with thousands of participants and hundreds of exhibitors. Ori Inbar, co-founder and CEO, explains that AR and VR were once separate but now share the stage because they serve complementary roles. Inbar notes that while mobile AR is widely used for things like social media and shopping, the best immersive experiences still happen in VR headsets. He believes we’ll eventually see a single device that merges AR and VR capabilities. For now, each device has its strengths, and the field continues to advance with better hardware, wider fields of view, and more practical applications

The Coolest VR Gear and Games I Saw at Augmented World Expo 2025 Last week, AWE in Long Beach showcased the latest in AR, VR, and MR technology. Highlights included the unveiling of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1+ Gen 1 chip, set to power next-generation smart glasses. The expo, running since 2010, provided a platform for attendees to experience cutting-edge devices, applications, and immersive content. From e-bikes to advanced headsets and productivity apps, the event emphasized the rapid evolution of XR technology and its growing impact on work, entertainment, and social interaction.

A look into Google’s Android XR strategy and its big gaming push At Augmented World Expo 2025, Google executives outlined their vision for Android XR as the unifying platform for XR smart glasses. Panels covered the Android XR roadmap, emphasizing support for headsets and smart glasses, and highlighted partnerships with Samsung, Qualcomm, and Unity. Google was in full developer romance mode, promising robust tools and monetization opportunities. Google is betting on cross-device compatibility and developer buy-in to drive the next wave of immersive experiences, positioning Android XR as a cornerstone for future spatial computing innovation.

VR Bungee Jumping Simulation Tips You Over In Real Life At AWE, the Anywhere Bungee VR simulation offered attendees a uniquely intense experience. Using a Quest 3 headset and a see-saw, users were strapped in and suspended to simulate a bungee jump off a Tokyo skyscraper. In case you’re wondering, while I was a witness, I was not a participant.

This column is also a podcast hosted by its author, 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 Cnet reporter Scott Stein. We can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.

What We’re Reading

Tony Vitillo Interview Second Life Founder Philip Rosedale on the Metaverse (Skarred Ghost blog)