As the XR Association enters into its sixth year, we’d like to take this opportunity to look back at 2023 and reflect upon the growth and accomplishments of our organization and industry. Throughout 2023, the XR Association has continued to support the immersive technology industry in its advancement of virtual (VR), augmented (AR), and mixed reality (MR) technology. We’ve worked to deepen the public and policymakers’ understanding and awareness of XR technologies at more than 30 events, demonstrations and engagements worldwide.
This year, XRA reached some incredible milestones including, but not limited to, its first “XRA Demo on the Hill”, the launch of XRA’s “Immersive Insights” podcast, and the release of “Reality Check: Why the U.S. Government Should Nurture XR Development”.
As the industry grows, the XR Association is committed to promoting the responsible development and use of this cutting-edge technology. The following are some of the highlights from 2023 and a look ahead for XRA and the future of immersive technologies in 2024.
Read the full report below to see member company highlights, and XRA’s 2023 year in review.
XRA by the Numbers
- 30+ Speaking Events and Major Conferences
- 45+ Engagements with Members of Congress and Government Agencies Pushing Policy Forward
- 2 Public Comments Submitted in the U.S. and EU
- 9 Podcast Episodes
- 36 Member Milestones, Including:
- 3 Member Committees (Communications, Policy, Health & Inclusion)
- 4 Working Groups (Education, Standards, Accessibility, and as of February 2023 Healthcare)
- 2 Developers Council Speaker Series
- 4 Metaverse, Standards, Interoperability, and Governance Meetings
- 15 New Members in 2023
- 1 Executive Member (Magic Leap)
- 1 Allied Partner (King & Spalding)
- 13 Associate Members
- 8 XRAC Meetings
Important Milestones & Member Activities
In 2023 the XR Association (XRA) continued to grow, surpassing 50 members. XRA represents the full ecosystem of the XR industry, from headset manufacturers, technology platforms, component and peripheral companies, to enterprise solution providers and corporate end-users. Within the past year, the association has seen continued growth and innovation in immersive technology, and our members are spearheading the charge.
The full State of the Industry report includes more than 20 industry highlights from member companies, including Meta, Google, Magic Leap and others.
A Look Ahead
At the end of last year, in partnership with the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub at the George Washington University, XRA produced a seminal report on global XR competitiveness, “Reality Check: Why the U.S. Government Should Nurture XR Development”. As we start this new year, the association will look to implement the recommendations from the paper to ensure that the United States is staying at the forefront of XR development.
This year already, XRA has published its “Impact of XR in Healthcare” infographic and Chapter 5 of its Developer’s Guide, “Designing Immersive Experiences for Healthcare.” Both new resources focus on how the healthcare industry is adopting and developing platforms and applications for XR.
Next month, the XR Association will also publish a whitepaper summarizing insights from the Future of XR Advisory Council (XRAC), an independent advisory council focused on defining the XR ecosystem and informing the ongoing work of XRA. The publication stands as a testament to XRA’s commitment to providing best practices and frameworks that advance the responsible development and adoption of XR technologies. We look forward to continuing to lead the growth of XR.
