Extended reality (XR) – which includes virtual, augmented, and mixed reality solutions – has continued to become more accessible to organizations and consumers. While many engage through headsets, most XR experiences are available on laptops, phones and tablets. In the coming years, these tools will become ubiquitous as AI makes 3D digital content easier to create, and companies find new ways to embed the technology into everyday business practices. But what is the state of XR corporate adoption today?
Nearly 80% of US companies believe that investing significantly in XR will be critical to ongoing growth
At InContext, we’ve been talking to our clients and potential clients to better understand the current state of extended reality adoption in the corporate world. While there is still significant room to grow, we outlined interesting highlights on where US companies are in their XR adoption journey. Did you know that nearly 80% of US companies we spoke to believe that investing significantly in XR over the next 12 months will be critical to ongoing growth? In addition, 58% of US companies we spoke to are using extended reality – either augmented or virtual reality tools – today. These companies are also finding value, with 86% of those that currently use XR indicating that they believe it is important to continue to invest.
Digging into what tools companies are using, we found that 61% of companies rely only on virtual reality (VR) solutions. A much smaller group–only 16%– rely exclusively on augmented reality (AR). This breakout between VR and AR solutions makes sense when you consider that VR tools have been used by organizations for nearly two decades, while AR has just started to break through in the last five to 10 years among both corporations and consumers. However, there is a clear group of early adopters among organizations today. Almost one in four companies say they are using both augmented reality and virtual reality today as part of everyday business operations. This becomes critically important to understand when digging into how companies are use these tools and where they find the most value from application.
Do these tools drive value?
There is clear ROI. Among organizations that use extended reality in training development, every single organization said that the XR technology drives significant or some value to their organization. We saw similar attitudes among those that used the XR tools for testing physical concepts virtual prior to implementing in a physical setting. Even among use cases like communication and collaboration or for product visualization and branding, at least two-thirds of users felt that XR tools drove ROI.
As extended reality continues to evolve, its potential to transform businesses is limitless. Organizations that embrace XR today are poised to reap the benefits of this revolutionary technology, gaining a competitive edge and driving innovation across all industries. From enhancing employee training and collaboration to revolutionizing product development and customer experiences, XR is paving the way for a future where the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds are blurred. The possibilities are endless, and the future of XR is bright.
Want to learn more about how your organization can better leverage XR tools and technologies? We’ve got you!
