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Creating European immersive technology champions
Despite significant advances, the real usefulness of immersive technologies unfortunately remains underestimated and limited to specific sectors. France has a position to assert in order to contribute to the European debate
Immersive technologies are at the heart of political, legal and societal discussions. The spectacular progress made by the world's major research centers is creating new, unsuspected horizons. However, the concrete uses and relevance of these technologies remain misunderstood and seem, wrongly, limited to certain sectors (leisure, video games, training, etc.) even though they are already being deployed in areas as strategic as health, industry and education.
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Public authorities and businesses perceive a crucial European sovereignty issue in the years to come: at European and national levels, private actors must be supported in the development and use of these technologies. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the French government are starting to work on the subject: working groups, public consultations, strategies, and reports are being developed.
La villa numeris interviewed stakeholders using immersive technologies to improve and transform their activities. Many innovative and professional companies, such as Dassault Systèmes, Orange, Thales, the National XR Council, the French Agency for Video Games, Alstom, the SNCF, EDF have agreed to share their demanding visions on the uses linked to these new technologies and their expectations.
Before creating a single market allowing immersive technologies and their applications to develop in a virtuous way, it seems necessary first of all to understand these innovations, to give concrete examples of the sectoral uses that can be made of them and finally to develop a list of recommendations for French and European public authorities.
:: Summary
Immersive technologies are booming. They offer considerable potential for the economy. However, Europe is still lagging behind North America and Asia. To bridge the gap, European stakeholders need a clear, concerted strategy.
1 | Democratising immersive technologies
- Encouraging the research and development of immersive technologies that are more affordable and easier to use
- Promoting the use of immersive technologies in education and training
- Developing an ethical dimension to immersive technologies in line with European values
2 | Working with existing and non-European solutions whilst preparing for the future
- Encouraging cooperation between French, European and non-European companies
- Identifying and mastering the building blocks of sovereignty
- Protecting citizens' data and setting up trusted third parties
3 | Creating European champions: supporting innovation and retaining talent
- Developing a form of European protectionism
- Funding innovation SMEs and startups and structuring the industry by creating an Immersive Technologies Steering Committee
- Promoting training and employment in the sector of immersive technologies
It is also important to emphasise collaboration between stakeholders, at both national and European level. The fragmentation of the current ecosystem is an obstacle to the development of immersive technologies. It is essential to create synergies between the various stakeholders, encourage exchanges and cooperation, and define common standards, notably by implementing a genuine industrial policy to structure the sector.
France and other European countries have what it takes to become world leaders in immersive technologies. However, these countries need to act quickly and make a concerted effort to catch up and seize the opportunities offered by this rapidly expanding sector.
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