JARON LANIER

Impact

‘Meta’ may thank Jaron Lanier for his innovations in the field of technology, but chances are he wouldn’t appreciate it. Known as ‘the father of virtual reality’ Jaron Lanier’s impact in the tech space is evident, especially today.

However, his contributions as a critic of how this technology has been used in society is the real legacy of Jaron Lanier. He has come to represent humanity in the ever-evolving and increasingly data-driven tech sector.

An outspoken critic against misinformation, the deadening of personal interaction, and the data-centric decision making that dominates today’s technology. His opinions carry more credence because he is an ‘inside man’ who has gone rebel, speaking against the culture that he was once a part of.

Bio

Jaron Lanier, born on May 3, 1960, in New York City, is a computer scientist, musician, and author, known for his pioneering work in the field of virtual reality and his insightful commentary on the impact of technology on society. Lanier’s mother, Lilly, a pianist, painter, and dancer, had emigrated from Vienna when she was fifteen, after surviving a concentration camp. His father, Ellery, the child of Ukrainian Jews who had fled the pogroms, worked as an architect, painter, writer, elementary-school teacher, and radio host. When Lanier was around ten, his mother was killed and his father severely injured in a horrific car crash. He lived in tents for an extended period with his father before embarking on a seven-year project to build a geodesic dome home that he helped design.

As a teenager he convinced New Mexico State University to let him enroll, where he took graduate-level courses and received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study mathematical notation, which led him to learn computer programming. Dropping out of New Mexico State University, Lanier ventured into the tech world and became a pioneer in virtual reality.

In the 1980s, he founded VPL Research, a company at the forefront of VR development, contributing significantly to the field. Beyond his technological pursuits, Lanier is a skilled musician, having played with renowned artists like Philip Glass and Ornette Coleman. Lanier's expertise spans various disciplines, and he has been a vocal critic of certain aspects of the digital landscape. In his influential books like "You Are Not a Gadget" and "Who Owns the Future?," he explores the societal implications of technology, questioning issues such as privacy and the concentration of power in the tech industry.

Known for his unconventional thinking, Lanier once quirkily remarked, "I play the blues when I program because programming is a blue-collar job, and I'm a blue-collar guy." This fusion of technology and artistic expression encapsulates Jaron Lanier's unique perspective, making him a thought leader in the ever-evolving intersection of humanity and technology.