WASHINGTON D.C. – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) accepted a request to investigate the adoption of immersive technologies across federal civilian agencies and is expected to begin its study later this month. The XR Association (XRA) commends this first-ever comprehensive study on the use of XR technology in the U.S. government.
Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) sent a joint letter to the GAO in November 2022, making the request. The XR Association previously collaborated with Senator Young’s office to craft the request and has been a vocal advocate in favor of responsible XR public policies and adoption.
XRA also endorsed the Senators’ letter in November and is pleased to see the office recognizing the tremendous potential immersive technologies have for government operations.
“This new study represents an important step forward for both the XR industry and the U.S. government,” said XRA’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Joan O’Hara. “In just the past year, we have seen a significant uptick in the adoption and use of immersive technology in other countries, especially in the public sphere. It is important that the U.S. keeps pace. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with U.S. policymakers to identify areas in which XR can support federal operation to maximum benefit.”
Although immersive technologies are now being utilized in spaces like education, career training and healthcare, it is unclear whether federal agencies are adopting XR as widely as the private sector. This study will educate lawmakers and agency leaders about the advantages of using XR in government services. It will also identify any potential barriers to adoption, which will help in outlining a roadmap for future use across agencies.
XRA looks forward to the GAO’s insights from its investigation into how the U.S. government can become a global leader in immersive technology.
ABOUT THE XR ASSOCIATION
The XR Association promotes the dynamic global growth of the XR industry, which includes virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed-reality, and future immersive technology. XRA is leading the way for the responsible development and adoption of XR by convening stakeholders, developing best practices and research, and advocating on behalf of our members and the greater XR industry.
The XR Association represents the broad ecosystem of the XR industry, including headset manufacturers, technology platforms, component and peripheral companies, internet infrastructure companies, enterprise solution providers, and corporate end-users. The founders of XRA are Google, HTC Vive, Microsoft, Meta (formerly Oculus from Facebook), and Sony Interactive Entertainment. To learn more about XRA membership, visit xra.org/joinus.
