Marques Brownlee on the future of tech

YouTuber and bonafide tech geek Marques Brownlee offers his unique perspectives on emerging technologies including AI, VR, and electric vehicles.

On EVs, Marques said despite improving technology, “the last step of the puzzle is worry free driving … what do you do when you run out of a charge?” The YouTuber thinks that robust charging infrastructure remains a barrier to mass adoption.

When asked about Vision Pro, Apple’s new VR headset, Marques was impressed by the tech but noted the challenge is justifying the US$3,500 price tag. The popular creator explained that Apple wants developers to build a “vibrant ecosystem” of apps so it really only offers value when there are enough visionOS apps on the market, which will probably be well into 2024.

Marques’ favourite demo on the headset right now is on where you are seated courtside at an NBA game. Describing the experience of “watching it with full immersion,” the YouTuber said “you literally just watch the game in front of you; you can look around, look at the stadium, feel the vibes, the atmosphere and watch the game. … yeah, I would do this again”.

Unsurprisingly, Marques touched upon the hot topic of generative AI. The podcaster isn’t worried about it coming for creative jobs and adds: “The collaboration between people and AI can be really, really valuable.”

It’s not a choice though – artificial intelligence is touching upon every job and skill set. Marques explains: “I think most people are going to need to learn how to get AI to work with them.”

On AI’s promise and peril, the YouTuber said if treated as “a helpful tool with appropriate guardrails,” it can empower people to create “incredible” projects faster.

Marques Brownlee, YouTuber and podcaster, was in conversation with Jeremy Legg, CTO of AT&T, and Martine Paris, tech contributor for Forbes, on Centre Stage at Collision 2023.

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Main image of Marques Brownlee, YouTuber and podcaster onstage at Collision 2023: Ramsey Cardy/Web Summit (CC BY 2.0)