What determines whether emerging technologies succeed inside organizations?

Jeremy Dalton: Your approach depends on what category the technology falls into. If it is immersive, stakeholders need to experience it. Other technologies like AI or drones are backend, and you can simply rely on strong presentations and business cases. When engaging potential customers, you must understand what the technology is like and tailor your approach accordingly. The method of selling an experiential solution is fundamentally different from selling something that lives behind the scenes.

What real world example of technology inspires you today?

Jeremy Dalton: When I hear stories of virtual reality helping aging adults, people from 60 to 90 plus using VR for several hours a day, that inspires me. This is a community that is often ignored. Yet they are avid users when the technology solves a real problem. It dismisses the idea that VR is isolating. Using VR to bring older adults together is a beautiful example of how emerging technology can address human needs directly.

How do you convince senior executives to adopt immersive solutions?

Jeremy Dalton: If you bring an application that is relevant in content and high quality in delivery, that is the angle you want. If you show a CEO of an oil and gas company something in banking, there is no recognition or connection. But if you deliver an oil and gas solution at a high level of quality, you automatically create familiarity. You are far better placed to convert that person because they see their own world reflected back at them.

Can you tell us more about XRHQ? What problem is it trying to solve?

Jeremy Dalton: I see people lose track of how big this industry is and where these technologies are being used. Every time we had to conduct research at PwC, it was a huge effort and only a snapshot in time. With XRHQ I am trying to provide inspiration. Every day there are VR, AR, AI and robotics solutions solving real problems. The platform tracks those developments in real time so people can see how these technologies are actually delivering value globally.

How does XRHQ work under the hood?

Jeremy Dalton: It is a web interface and behind the scenes there are automation and AI systems. I use N8N for orchestration and PromptLayer to test different AI models like ChatGPT, Anthropic and Gemini. I am looking for quality, speed and affordability so the platform remains sustainable. The system evaluates whether something is a real application and can add value to the community.

How do you keep humans in the loop when AI curates data?

Jeremy Dalton: I certainly will not say every case study is one hundred percent perfect. If AI pulls it in, it will not get it right all the time. Just like editing Wikipedia, registered users will be able to edit entries on XRHQ. Those edits go into a moderation queue so I can review them. Over time, trusted users who submit successful edits can gain higher access. That human feedback loop is essential to maintaining quality and trust.

You mentioned that we are “over indexing on AI”. What do you mean?

Jeremy Dalton: Nearly half of all global investments went into artificial intelligence last year. That is too much. We are over indexing on AI to the detriment of every other technology. AI has incredible value, but the amount of money going into it is not returning the expected benefits. Organizations are pouring all their money into one stream. A smart investor would never put everything into one stock, yet that is what we are seeing globally.

What is a smarter investment strategy in emerging tech?

Jeremy Dalton: You do not have to think purely about AI here and purely about VR there. Think about convergent solutions. That is the smartest move for 2026 and beyond. Ask whether an investment includes other emerging technologies where relevant. When you start bringing solutions together, you see exponential benefit compared to very narrow tracks focused on a single technology alone.

Can you share an example of technology convergence in action?

Jeremy Dalton: Consider Disney using animatronic robots. They put these robots into a virtual world to train them using machine learning so they can navigate real environments naturally. The virtual training ground manages how they act in the real world. That combines virtual worlds, artificial intelligence and robotics to deliver a solution. That type of thinking can be applied across industries to unlock more powerful outcomes.

What kind of collaborations are going to accelerate the deployment of emerging technologies? 

Jeremy Dalton: I believe organizations should work closely with academia. When I supervised a PhD program with the University of Bath, it allowed us to see cutting edge data on where VR was working and not working. It directly fed into client projects. That framework should be used more often. Any business using emerging technology should engage with an academic partner. Academia produces rigorous datasets and reliable insights. It is one of the most dependable ways to understand what is coming next.

How can industry and academia collaborate more effectively?

Jeremy Dalton: Government support can help, but both sides should simply seek each other out. Industry should actively pursue academic partners and academia should think carefully about how it engages with industry. Informal conversations at meetups, forums or even lunches can lead to significant collaborations. Some of my most impactful projects started through very casual encounters rather than formal pitches.

Looking a decade ahead, what gives you hope?

Jeremy Dalton: I think we may reach a boiling point as a society and realize the damage caused by constant conflict. Humanity used to disagree in a civil way and we have lost that ability. I have hope that we will regain perspective and work together again. Despite the current state of affairs, I believe we will recognize the error of our ways and rediscover how to collaborate constructively as a human community.