via Tim Marler<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Discrimination often results from a lack of exposure or understanding. Thus, interacting with different types of people, experiencing different perspectives, appreciating different views can be a cure. To some extent, AR\/VR can offer this cure. In the same way that travel can foster an appreciation for new cultures, customs, and values, AR\/VR can easily expose users to new and unfamiliar environments for a relatively low cost. Furthermore, it can do so with substantially increased frequency and variation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), VR can do more than just provide the user with a view into new ideas and environments. It can allow users to see the world through a new pair of eyes; it can help provide empathy. There are many examples where AR\/VR allows one to see a situation through the eyes of a different avatar, for example, as someone with autism<\/a> or someone in hospice care<\/a>. By assuming a new avatar in a new environment, this kind of application can allow users to experience and appreciate discrimination they may not otherwise encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there is no magic key that opens all doors. Especially with topics as complex as DEI and ethics, AR\/VR must be applied carefully and thoughtfully, not recklessly. In fact, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) recently provided a series of reports that highlight not only the advantages of AR\/VR in this space, but also the potential risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Risks<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n