What is Spatial Computing?

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“It’s more than getting inspiration; DeepFest is about creating new connections, seeking new collaborators and engaging with some of my peers in the AI and spatial computing industries.” 

Before we welcome leading tech futurist Cathy Hackl (CEO at Spatial Dynamics; Author, Renown Strategist and Host of Adweek’s TechMagic podcast) at DeepFest 2025, we asked her to give us the lowdown on spatial computing. 

As an emerging field in tech, it’s a space that’s surrounded by misconception and uncertainty. Cathy cuts through the noise and tells us what spatial computing is (and isn’t), and how it’s evolving alongside key technologies including AI. 

What is spatial computing, and what led you to work in this area of technology?

“I’ve been part of the spatial computing industry for many years, especially through my work in hardware companies like HTC VIVE and most importantly at Magic Leap, an early spatial computing company and where I got to really dive deep into what spatial computing and the spatial web are and what the role of AI is this multimodal and multiagent future is.

“Spatial Computing is the next computing platform that blends physical and virtual experiences using a wide range of technologies including artificial intelligence, computer vision, extended reality and more. It’ll allow machines to interact with us in new ways – because it gives them the ability to understand our physical environments and intent.

“As a new field of technology, it combines new advances in software, hardware, information, and connectivity. As well as enabling humans to interact and communicate in new ways with one another and with technology, spatial computing gives machines the capabilities to navigate and understand our physical environment in novel ways too. 

“It expands computing into everything we can see, touch, and know. It marks an evolution and an expansion of computing. But it’s not one single technology or one single device. It is not just virtual reality either – time and again, we see professionals say that spatial computing is a ‘flavour’ of mixed reality, or that it is another word for the metaverse.

“It is not.”

How are developments in AI changing the possibilities available to us with spatial computing?

“Spatial computing as a term has been around since 2003 when Simon Greenwold, then at MIT Media Lab, published a paper describing spatial computing as ‘Human interaction with a machine in which the machine retains and manipulates referents to real objects and spaces.’

“The advent of large language models, large vision models, and on-device AI make this possible. Technology is always improving. We now have the capabilities to have AI communicate and understand data from sensors, cameras, and microphones in our devices to make sense of the world around it. AI is an essential building block for the future of computing and the future of hardware.”

In terms of the quality of virtual experiences, what are the key advantages of spatial computing?

“One of the advantages of spatial computing is the possibility of new computer interfaces. We will move from keyboards and swiping on screens to hand gestures, gaze tracking, and even new neural interfaces. 

“Advances in AI combined with spatial computing will allow us to break away from our screens and interact with virtual elements in new ways. In this era of accelerated tech convergence, on-device AI will help bring AI into the physical world, give computers spatial intelligence, and enable new forms of human to human communication and human-computer interaction.”

From a business perspective, how big of an opportunity is spatial computing?

“It will allow people and brands to create content, products, and services, for physical and virtual environments. They’ll be able to expand computing into everything we see, touch, and know. Spatial computing, the spatial web and spatial computers as well as multimodal AI hardware, are all a paradigm shift as companies work to bring AI into the physical world and expand computing beyond screens.”

Finally, why is DeepFest valuable to you and your work?

“Without artificial intelligence there is no spatial computing. I’m excited to be at DeepFest because it’s where the brightest minds, innovators, and entrepreneurs in AI come together to propel innovation in this space. 

“It’s more than getting inspiration; DeepFest is about creating new connections, seeking new collaborators and engaging with some of my peers in the AI and spatial computing industries.” 

Register now to attend DeepFest 2025 and learn directly from Cathy – along with a host of other AI and deep tech leaders.