The live session, hosted by Vahe Karamian (CTO of Noorcon Inc. and host of the Unity Game Dev Made EZ podcast), featured Liam Broza, co-founder of Ethereal Engine (now IR Engine) and founder of Companion Intelligence. The discussion covered Liam’s career journey, projects, and insights into XR (Extended Reality) and AI, with Vahe guiding the conversation.
Here are the key highlights:
Background & Career Journey
Early Interests:
Liam’s passion for 3D began with modding games like Mech Warrior and Unreal Tournament.
Studied computer engineering but shifted to software after recognizing the slow pace of hardware innovation compared to the rapid growth of web/software tech.
Transition to XR:
Inspired by early XR devices (Magic Leap, Oculus) and the pandemic-driven demand for virtual collaboration tools.
Co-founded Ethereal Engine (now IR Engine), a 3D web engine focused on multiplayer, XR, and web-based immersive experiences.
Current Focus:
Founded Companion Intelligence, developing privacy-first AI agents that run on local servers (e.g., home devices) to avoid data exploitation by corporations.
Working on embodied AI agents (3D avatars, drones) and integrating them with platforms like Unity and XR headsets (Quest, Xreal).
Key Projects & Challenges
Ethereal/IR Engine:
Built as a high-performance, open-source alternative to platforms like Roblox, optimized for web-based XR and multiplayer experiences.
Merged with Infinite Reality in 2023 to expand its AI and e-commerce capabilities.
Technical Challenges:
Overcame browser limitations (e.g., performance gaps in WebGL/WebGPU) and pioneered multiplayer networking optimizations.
Emphasized balancing technical depth with user-friendly tools.
Companion Intelligence:
Focuses on decentralized AI to counter corporate-controlled models (e.g., OpenAI, Microsoft Copilot).
Sells AI servers for local use, enabling users to run LLMs (like Llama) privately.
Insights on AI & XR
AI Concerns:
Criticized corporate AI models as “double agents” designed to harvest data, not serve users.
Advocated for personal AI ownership to stay competitive and protect privacy.
XR’s Future:
Predicted XR headsets (e.g., Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest) will surpass smartphones in importance, requiring local AI integration for spatial computing.
Highlighted the need for open, decentralized spatial data ecosystems.
Advice for Aspiring Developers
Learn by Doing:
Build side projects (e.g., games, apps) using Python/TypeScript and showcase them on GitHub.
Focus on fundamentals (data structures, optimization) rather than over-relying on high-level frameworks.
Career Tips:
Network actively (e.g., attend conferences like GDC or Scale) and demonstrate how your work adds business value.
Stay adaptable: Liam’s shift from consulting to product development shaped his success.
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