UPS

Mark Grob is an immersive technology leader at UPS, specializing in developing innovative XR solutions to address enterprise challenges. With over seven years at UPS, he has led crossfunctional teams exploring and developing intellectual property, including patents and business methods. As an XR subject matter expert on UPS’s SAR Counsel, he plays a pivotal role in training and developing SMEs across global business groups. Previously, he built full pipeline stacks for virtual reality content development, setting enterprise standards for immersive tech solutions.

Through this article, Grob highlights how XR (Extended Reality) has evolved into a viable enterprise tool, offering costeffective solutions for virtual collaboration, training, and data visualization while addressing concerns about data security and regulatory challenges.

What comes to mind when you hear Enterprise and XR (Extended Reality)?

Cardboard (phone VR that makes you sick?), Meta / Oculus (video games, not enterprise?), Microsoft Mixed Reality (maybe something to do with it?), and Apple Vision Pro (man, I wish I had the cash for the expensive toy.)

You may be confused by the jargon related to virtual reality, augmented reality, and extended reality (XR). Mixed Jargon makes insufficient Data. But in the space of XR (we will keep this as the general container), data is the content and mechanism we use to scale the enterprise platform.

“Over the last five years, the landscape of XR has changed rapidly from expensive VR rigs tethered to PCs to All-in-One devices that are easily deployable (via MDMs) and under the price of an iPhone or higher-end Android Smart device”

Over the last five years, the landscape of XR has changed rapidly from expensive VR rigs tethered to PCs to All-in-One devices that are easily deployable (via MDMs) and under the price of an iPhone or higher-end Android Smart device. A platform that can now provide virtual collaboration tools, training engagement platforms, and devices to visualize the digital twins of business.

Pros:

• The Cost to enable has come down to $600-$1200 a unit in an Enterprise Environment, which is the price range for deploying it.

• A Tool, not a Toy, to visualize and design massive data sets into a logical simulation that makes data relationships understandable to Humans + AI.

• Platforms in XR are currently implementing AI strategies for enterprises or have been for some time. AI provides Scalability to many of the solutions/products in the Enterprise XR space.

Cons:

• PIA-regulated content is potentially at risk if not properly managed/regulated on hardware platforms. The majority of the XR devices are owned and managed by a social media Company, which raises concerns about how secure user data usage is (social media revenue is based on monetization). By managing the devices in an MDM that allows for the prevention of the flow of certain types of data to an external reporting system, the risk can be lowered.

• Shell Games with Terms and conditions and licenses. Most device manufacturers have a dynamic license on the terms and conditions of use of the XR device. This creates the potential for legal risks if IT security teams are not adequately audited and regulated, specifically with the latest trend of AI features being placed on a range of devices or Operating Systems related to XR technology. Meta has Llama integrated into its latest OS patches (Large Language Model Meta AI). Google is partnering with numerous manufacturers to implement AndroidXR, which has Gemini integration with its OS version.

Is the competitive advantage of XR worth it?

It’s a tough call as the merging of AI and XR hardware platforms continues forward. The capabilities that XR technology provides can substantially provide value for the Enterprise and improve its position in the marketplace of your business. However, the margin on the benefits is still, on average, small (20-35%) due to the current areas of technology being applied.