What was your business highlight of 2024?

Professor Bates’ 2024 business highlights encapsulate his enduring impact on technology innovation and leadership: Fractional CTO Leadership: Bates continues to leverage his role as a Fractional CTO, delivering transformative strategies to startups and established enterprises alike. His expertise spans AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, and immersive technologies, offering tailored solutions to align with business objectives​. Mentorship and Ecosystem Building: He spearheads initiatives like “Taste of Tech,” promoting skill-building in underrepresented communities. His efforts in programs such as Unreal Basecamp and US Cyber Games inspire the next generation of tech leaders, particularly in Detroit​​. Technological Innovations: Bates has played a pivotal role in advancing projects like digital twinning at General Motors, emphasizing efficient and predictive systems for manufacturing​. His work with companies like Tubular Networks focuses on hyperlogistics solutions, streamlining global supply chains with AI​. Thought Leadership: Recognized globally, Bates remains a sought-after advisor for his insights on AI ethics, quantum computing, and human-centric tech innovation. His recent engagements include contributions to CIO Magazine and Forbes Technology Council, highlighting his strategic vision​​. These highlights underscore Bates’ unwavering commitment to using technology as a catalyst for innovation, equity, and global advancement.

What XR-leaning event are you most looking forward to in 2025?

In 2025, I’m most looking forward to the Immersive Technology Summits, or similar events that bring XR (Extended Reality) into its prime, amplified by the creative and analytical power of Generative AI. Why These Event Stands Out: Immersive + Generative AI Revolution: The convergence of XR and Gen AI is a game-changer. It’s not just about creating stunning visuals or immersive environments but leveraging AI to fuel creativity, streamline workflows, and enable new ways of learning and interacting with real-world data. Imagine AI crafting dynamic, real-time immersive experiences tailored to users’ needs—whether it’s for training, collaboration, or entertainment. A New Era of Learning: XR-driven learning environments will break the barriers of traditional education and corporate training.

With AI, these environments will adapt to learners in real-time, offering personalized feedback and accelerating skill acquisition. This will redefine ROI for training investments across industries. Business Transformation Across Sectors: XR infused with AI can optimize processes in retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and beyond. Events like this will highlight how businesses can use immersive simulations, digital twins, and interactive models to achieve measurable results like cost savings, efficiency improvements, and enhanced customer experiences. Interactivity Redefined: These events will showcase how XR + AI is fostering human-centered design, bridging physical and digital worlds seamlessly. From smart cities to retail innovation, the potential to harness real-world data for actionable insights will be transformative. The Impact for Businesses: Events like this will reveal tangible ROI models, proving that immersive technologies are not just a novelty but an operational and strategic necessity. Whether it’s decreasing time-to-market with AI-assisted prototyping or revolutionizing remote collaboration through virtual and augmented spaces, the potential to drive profitability and creativity simultaneously is immense. 2025 marks the dawn of a new chapter where immersive technology, fueled by generative AI, not only enhances creativity but solidifies its role as a cornerstone of industry-wide innovation and growth. It’s an electrifying prospect, and the world is ready to embrace it.

What was your dream job when you were growing up?

Growing up, my dream job was to be a pilot. There was something magical about the idea of taking to the skies, commanding a machine that defied gravity, and navigating vast horizons. I’d spend hours poring over books about aviation, sketching planes, and imagining the world from thousands of feet above. Though I didn’t end up in the cockpit of a 747, that dream never really left me—it just evolved. Today, when I work on drones, robotics, or even cutting-edge technologies like digital twins and immersive simulations, I’m still chasing that thrill of precision, innovation, and exploration. In a way, every project I tackle is my way of taking flight, pushing boundaries, and charting new territories. The kid who dreamed of being a pilot? He’s still here—just piloting a very different kind of journey.

What was your favourite film/TV show of 2024?

Reflecting on 2024, my favorite film was “Dune: Part Two”. Denis Villeneuve’s continuation of Frank Herbert’s epic saga captivated audiences with its stunning visuals, intricate storytelling, and profound themes. The film delved deeper into Paul Atreides’ journey, exploring the complexities of power, destiny, and human resilience. Its masterful blend of science fiction and human drama resonated deeply, offering both a visual feast and a narrative rich with philosophical insights. “Dune: Part Two” not only met but exceeded expectations, solidifying its place as a standout cinematic achievement of the year.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in 2025?

In 2025, the biggest challenge I foresee is bridging the gap between rapid technological advancement and real-world adoption across industries. Let me explain. 1. Integrating Generative AI into Everyday Systems While Gen AI is becoming more powerful, the challenge lies in making it accessible and practical for businesses of all sizes. It’s about turning cutting-edge models into tools that deliver tangible ROI without overcomplicating workflows or overwhelming users. 2. Scaling Immersive Technologies (XR) XR has the potential to transform industries, but scaling it beyond niche applications to mainstream business processes requires overcoming cost, infrastructure, and user experience barriers. The focus is on creating solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing systems. 3. Addressing the Human Factor Adoption isn’t just a technical hurdle; it’s cultural. Helping organizations—and individuals—adapt to these transformative tools while addressing fears about automation, job displacement, and ethical implications is a complex but critical task. 4. Cybersecurity in a Quantum Era As quantum computing becomes more practical, it’s putting current encryption methods at risk. The challenge is to push for widespread implementation of quantum-safe cryptographic methods while educating industries on the urgency. 5. Ensuring Ethical and Equitable Innovation The rapid pace of technological change raises questions about accessibility and fairness. Ensuring these innovations benefit everyone—not just the tech elite—requires deliberate action, regulation, and public-private collaboration. In essence, 2025 is about turning potential into reality. It’s not just about creating groundbreaking tech but ensuring it integrates with the world in ways that are meaningful, ethical, and impactful. The challenge is immense, but so is the opportunity.

If you had to learn one new skill, what would it be?

If I were to pick one new skill to learn, it would undoubtedly be advanced quantum programming and simulation techniques. Let me tell you why. Why Quantum Programming? The Future of Computation: Quantum computing is set to revolutionize problem-solving in industries like logistics, pharmaceuticals, and cybersecurity. Being able to design and optimize algorithms for these systems would put me at the forefront of this transformation. Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Application: While I understand the implications of quantum tech, diving deeper into programming languages like Qiskit or Cirq would allow me to directly contribute to practical advancements, from quantum-safe cryptography to AI acceleration. Impact on Broader Fields: Quantum computing has the potential to reshape AI, materials science, and even financial modeling. By mastering its intricacies, I’d be better equipped to guide businesses in leveraging its unique capabilities. Why Now? The quantum computing field is at an inflection point. Learning this skill in 2025 means being ahead of the curve as breakthroughs transition from labs to mainstream applications. Bonus: Let’s be honest—it’s not just the practical benefits. The sheer intellectual challenge and elegance of quantum mechanics are irresistible. Understanding how the universe works at its most fundamental level? That’s the ultimate skill for a tech enthusiast like me.

What are your personal XR-related 2025 ambitions/goals?

My personal XR-related ambitions for 2025 revolve around driving the integration of XR technologies into mainstream workflows and fostering its adoption across industries to unlock unprecedented creativity, collaboration, and efficiency. 1. Empowering Education and Training: I aim to develop XR-based platforms that transform how we learn. Imagine immersive classrooms where history students walk through ancient civilizations or surgeons practice complex procedures in hyper-realistic simulations. My goal is to make such tools accessible and scalable, democratizing learning across the globe. 2. Revolutionizing Collaboration: In 2025, I want to bring XR collaboration tools into the corporate mainstream, creating virtual spaces that allow teams to meet, innovate, and problem-solve as if they were in the same physical room—regardless of geographical distance. This includes integrating AI to personalize and enhance these interactions dynamically. 3. Pioneering Real-World Data Integration: I aim to push the boundaries of XR by merging it with real-world data streams. This means creating environments where manufacturing floors, urban planning models, or retail spaces are digitally twinned and interactively enhanced with live data for better decision-making and ROI. 4. Advancing XR Accessibility: One of my key goals is to break down the barriers to XR adoption by addressing cost, usability, and infrastructure challenges. I want to help design lightweight, affordable XR solutions that can operate on a wide range of devices and require minimal setup. 5. Showcasing ROI Across Industries: XR needs to prove its value beyond entertainment. I plan to spearhead pilot programs in industries like healthcare, logistics, and retail to demonstrate measurable ROI—whether through cost reductions, efficiency improvements, or enhanced customer engagement. 6. Driving Ethical and Inclusive XR Development: XR has immense potential, but it also brings challenges in privacy, accessibility, and bias. My ambition is to establish frameworks and partnerships that ensure the technology is developed ethically and benefits diverse populations. 7. Inspiring the Next Generation: Lastly, I aim to use XR to inspire creativity and innovation in young minds, showing the next generation of developers, artists, and scientists how they can shape the future with immersive technologies. 2025 feels like the year XR truly begins to flourish—and I plan to be at the heart of making that happen.