Andrew Bosworth: The future of consumer tech will prioritize intent-based interactions, augmented reality glasses will revolutionize content consumption, and AI is solving real-world problems | a16z Live

Key takeaways

• The next wave of consumer tech will move towards intent-based interactions rather than relying on taps and swipes.
• Augmented reality glasses are expected to revolutionize content consumption in the next decade.
• There will be a spectrum of content delivery experiences, ranging from high-end to more accessible options.
• The current AI revolution is notable for addressing tangible problems faced by people.
• Developing new interaction modalities involves challenges in both hardware and user experience.
• AI is poised to enhance interaction design by better understanding user intentions.
• The Ray-Ban Meta glasses transitioned from smart glasses to AI-enabled glasses due to technological advancements.
• Despite technological advancements, the phone’s dominance in daily life is unlikely to diminish soon.
• Mobile apps need to be designed natively for success, rather than adapting web versions.
• AI could fundamentally change the app model by enabling users to express intentions rather than navigate apps.
• The evolution of user interfaces will be significantly influenced by AI and hardware advancements.
• The future of consumer technology involves a shift towards immersive computing experiences.

Guest intro

Andrew Bosworth is Chief Technology Officer at Meta and Head of Reality Labs. He joined Facebook in 2006 as one of its first engineers and helped create News Feed. He founded Meta’s AR/VR organization in 2017, now Reality Labs, driving advances in smart glasses, AR headsets, and AI hardware.

The shift to intent-based interactions

• If we get it right, the next wave of consumer tech won’t run on taps and swipes, it’ll run on intent.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• This shift indicates a transformative change in user interaction with technology.
• Intent-based interactions may redefine how consumers engage with devices.
• AI and hardware advancements are crucial for enabling intent-based interfaces.
• The transition from taps and swipes to intent could enhance user experience.
• Understanding user intentions is key to developing future consumer tech.
• This evolution reflects a broader trend towards more intuitive technology.
• Intent-based interactions could lead to more seamless and efficient technology use.

The future of content consumption

• I feel pretty confident that we will have a lot more ways to bring content into our viewshed than just taking out our fun… augmented reality glasses obviously are a real possibility.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• Augmented reality glasses are expected to play a significant role in content consumption.
• The evolution of content delivery methods will create diverse consumer experiences.
• High-end and accessible content delivery options will coexist in the future landscape.
• Emerging technologies will redefine how content is consumed and experienced.
• The shift towards augmented reality reflects broader technological advancements.
• Content consumption will become more immersive with new technologies.
• The future of content delivery will involve a spectrum of experiences.

The impact of the AI revolution

• I think the reason we’re so enthusiastic about the AI revolution that’s happening right now is it really feels tangible these are real problems that are being solved and it’s not solving every problem it creates new problems it’s fine.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• AI is solving tangible problems, distinguishing it from past technological waves.
• The current AI revolution is significant for its real-world applications.
• AI’s ability to address real problems enhances its impact and relevance.
• The AI revolution is creating new opportunities and challenges.
• This wave of AI development is marked by practical, tangible advancements.
• AI’s impact on technology is profound due to its problem-solving capabilities.
• The enthusiasm for AI is driven by its tangible benefits and applications.

Challenges in developing new interaction modalities

• The challenge was for us was okay you have to build this hardware which has to do all these amazing things and also be attractive and also be light and also be affordable and none of these existed before… the other half of the problem is great how do I use it like how do I make it feel natural to me.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• Developing new interaction methods involves both hardware and user experience challenges.
• Making new technology feel natural to users is a significant hurdle.
• The dual challenges of hardware and user experience are central to innovation.
• Creating attractive, lightweight, and affordable hardware is essential.
• User interface design must evolve to accommodate new interaction modalities.
• The natural feel of technology is crucial for user adoption and satisfaction.
• Overcoming these challenges is key to advancing consumer technology.

AI’s role in enhancing interaction design

• What a wonderful blessing AI came in two years ago much sooner than we expected and is a tremendous opportunity to make this even easier for us because the AIs that we have today are much greater ability to understand what my intentions are.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• AI has the potential to significantly enhance interaction design.
• Understanding user intentions is a key advantage of AI in design.
• AI’s capabilities can transform how users interact with technology.
• The integration of AI into design processes is a major opportunity.
• AI’s role in interaction design is set to grow in importance.
• Enhancing user experience through AI is a critical focus for developers.
• The transformative impact of AI on design highlights its potential.

The evolution of Ray-Ban Meta glasses

• When we started the Ray-Ban Meta project they were gonna be smart glasses… now they’re AI glasses right like they didn’t start as AI glasses but the form factor was already right we could already do the compute we already had the ability.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• The transition from smart glasses to AI glasses was driven by technological advancements.
• The evolution of Ray-Ban Meta glasses reflects broader trends in tech development.
• AI capabilities have transformed the potential of smart glasses.
• The form factor and computing abilities were key to this evolution.
• Ray-Ban Meta glasses exemplify the integration of AI into consumer products.
• This shift highlights the dynamic nature of product development in tech.
• Technological advancements are driving significant changes in consumer products.

The entrenched dominance of smartphones

• The five year view is harder because man like even if you’re losing it dominance of the phone in five years it just seems so hard it seems unthinkable for us.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• Smartphones are deeply entrenched in daily life and unlikely to lose dominance soon.
• The phone’s role in society is significant and enduring.
• Despite technological advancements, smartphones remain central to daily life.
• The dominance of smartphones poses challenges for new technologies.
• The entrenched position of phones highlights their importance in tech ecosystems.
• Smartphones’ relevance is expected to continue in the near future.
• The enduring dominance of phones reflects their integration into daily routines.

The importance of native app design

• We found is the apps want to be different when they’re not controlled via touch screen… we were failing like with one of the most popular products in the history of the web.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• Native design is crucial for mobile app success.
• Adapting web versions for mobile devices is often ineffective.
• The differences between web and mobile experiences are significant.
• Native app design enhances user experience and functionality.
• Understanding mobile user experiences is key to successful app development.
• The importance of native design reflects broader trends in app development.
• Successful mobile apps are designed specifically for their platform.

AI’s potential to change the app model

• I am wondering if like the progression of AI over the next several years doesn’t turn the app model on its head… I don’t wanna have to be responsible for orchestrating like what app I’m opening to do a thing.

  — Andrew Bosworth

• AI could fundamentally change how users interact with apps.
• The app-centric model may shift towards intention-based interactions.
• AI’s capabilities could simplify user interactions with technology.
• The potential shift in the app model reflects broader AI advancements.
• AI’s role in changing user interaction highlights its transformative potential.
• The future of app interactions may be driven by user intentions.
• This potential shift reflects the dynamic nature of technological evolution.