Tech and AI: 3. VR, AR and the Metaverse

Just by putting on a headset, Virtual Reality promises to immerse you in another world, and Augmented Reality takes that world and brings it into your living room. How do they work? It's a type of technology that seems to have been "the next big thing" for at least a decade. But are they just expensive toys, or do they have a use beyond gaming?

In a similar vein, you may have seen adverts for the Metaverse, and that Facebook's parent company is pumping huge amounts of money into it. But what is it? How are Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality linked to the Metaverse, and will they make it...a reality?

Technology has already completely altered our lives, and Artificial Intelligence may transform our world to an even greater degree. This series is your chance to get back to basics and really understand key technology terms. What's an algorithm? How does Broadband work and what exactly is Blockchain? What's the difference between machine and deep learning in artificial intelligence, and is it just our jobs under threat, or is it much worse than that? And before we get to the destruction of humanity, should we all be using Bitcoin? Our experts will explain in the very simplest terms everything you need to know about the tech that underpins your day. We'll explore the rich history of how all these systems developed, and where they may be going next.

Presenter: Spencer Kelly Producers: Ravi Naik and Nick Holland Editor: Clare Fordham Production Coordinator: Janet Staples