Welcome back to our weekly roundup of happenings from XR and AI realms. Let’s dive in…
The Lede
I have been doing a lot of research into the effects of AI on media, including social media, and the craft of content creation. Both NPR and CBS interviewed me and asked, “why are people so afraid of AI?” People are afraid of losing their jobs, I told them. And they have good reasons to be. When I read stories like this next one about Amazon, it feels like the answer is more obvious than the question. No one is in charge, no guardrails or limits are in place. The only thing we can do is take our medicine, adapt, and somehow turn this era of epic disruption to our advantage.
Amazon plans to replace more than half a million jobs with robots by 2033. The NY Times revealed internal company documents Tuesday. Amazon’s automation team estimates the company can avoid hiring more than 160,000 people in the US that it would otherwise need by 2027, saving thirty cents on each item it delivers. A dissonant companion article introduces Sparrow, Cardinal and Proteus, the chipper robots that will replace the human workers in the company’s warehouses.
Meta is cutting about 600 positions across its AI division as it consolidates research under the newly formed TBD Lab, which now leads its push toward superintelligence. Legacy units like FAIR and product AI teams are being folded into fewer, more focused groups. New Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang told staff the goal is smaller teams with greater impact. The company is encouraging affected employees to apply for other jobs within Meta and expects most will find another position internally. It continues hiring for TBD Lab and other model-building efforts. In this game of corporate musical chairs, even the disruptors’ jobs are not safe.
Feeling Spatial
Samsung’s new Galaxy XR headset launched on Oct 21 2025 in the U.S. with an $1,800 Price Tag. We welcome Samsung back to the world of XR that it exited after making a mark with the smartphone-powered Samsung Gear in 2016. That shipped six million units and was supplanted by the unfortunately stillborn Samsung View for Google Daydream. Despite these whippings, the Android smartphone maker is back with a state-of-the-art mixed reality headset powered by Google and Qualcomm, the first of many Google Android XR devices to come. The new Galaxy XR features dual 3,552 × 3,840 Micro-OLED displays (default 72 Hz, up to 90 Hz), 16 GB RAM, Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, and runs Android XR OS, giving access to both mobile and XR-optimized apps. It all allows 3D browsing of your 2D photo library, something that will make you say ‘Wow!’ When you first see it. The headset is positioned for prosumers and enterprise rather than mass market, with a broader XR product roadmap planned by Google. Cnet editor Scott Stein, their top specialist in XR, said “the headset felt like an open door for product ideas to come,” and that Gemini is its killer app.
nDreams’ Reach, a new VR cinematic action-adventure for the Quest 3, PSVR, and Steam, won this rave review from Upload’s Henry Stockdale, who said “Reach is an exemplary hit that excels in its VR-focused design, and it’s out today on most major platforms.”
Follow the Money
General Intuition raises $133.7 million seed round for AI Training data generated by games. GI is going to train AI agents in spatial-temporal reasoning using billions of user-generated game videos. CEO Pim de Witte says this real-world visual data helps agents learn to navigate environments and predict actions, which can be used to train robots, drones, and vehicles. Khosla Ventures and General Catalyst led the round, which followed a reported $500 million acquisition attempt by OpenAI.
App-building AI startup Rocket has raised a $15 million seed round. Surat-based in a seed round led by Salesforce Ventures and Accel, with participation from Together Fund. Founded by Vishal Virani, Rahul Shingala, and Deepak Dhanak, Rocket offers an AI platform that lets users build production-ready apps using natural language. The company says more than 400,000 users across 180 countries have created over 500,000 apps since launch. The new capital will fund R&D, hiring, and a new office in Palo Alto as the startup expands internationally. Rocket grew out of DhiWise, an earlier developer tool built by the same team.
OpenAI has launched Atlas, a free Mac browser that merges ChatGPT with live web access. Users can chat with the model about any page, or, for paid subscribers, let “agent mode” perform browsing tasks autonomously. Atlas runs on Chromium and includes parental controls, incognito mode, and granular permissions for logins, cookies, and data sharing. OpenAI warns that agent mode increases privacy risks since it can act on logged-in sites, though it cannot execute code or access local files. The optional “memories” feature personalizes experiences but stores more data, raising questions about surveillance, advertising, and long-term information security. Two days after OpenAI’s Atlas, Microsoft re-launches a nearly identical AI browser.
Spatial Audio
For more spatial commentary & insights, check out the AI/XR Podcast, hosted by the author of this column, Charlie Fink, and Ted Schilowitz, former studio executive and futurist for Paramount and Fox, and Rony Abovitz, founder of Magic Leap. This week’s guest is Rikard Steiber, former Google and HTC Vive SVP, turned Venture investor.. You can find it on podcasting platforms Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.
Charlie Fink is an author and futurist focused on spatial computing. See his books here. Spatial Beats contains insights and inputs from Fink’s collaborators including Paramount Pictures futurist Ted Shilowitz.
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