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OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2024 (Volume 1)

Embracing the Technology Frontier

image of OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2024 (Volume 1)

The OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2024, Volume 1: Embracing the Technology Frontier provides new insights on key technologies that underpin the digital technology ecosystem and their impacts. Using big data and machine-learning techniques, Volume 1 provides new estimates of the growth rate of the ecosystem’s core – the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. It then looks toward the technology frontier with perspectives on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it can be shaped into a positive force. Volume 1 also analyses how people, firms and governments are adopting digital technologies, offering insights into the scale and scope of digital divides and how to boost equal opportunity and inclusion. To that end, it looks at the critical need for next generation wireless networks to provide unlimited connectivity everywhere. Moving beyond the hype of immersive technologies, Volume 1 examines the proven ability of virtual reality (VR) to scale, while identifying its opportunities and risks. Finally, it shines a spotlight on mental health in digital environments, including those most at risk.

English Also available in: French

Virtual reality and its opportunities and risks

The rise of three-dimensional (3D) technologies is raising questions about the opportunities, risks and impacts of immersive environments on firms, governments, people and society. This chapter disentangles immersive digital environments and focuses on the importance of one immersive medium – virtual reality (VR) – because of its proven ability to scale. It explains the technologies and features of VR, highlighting its benefits and opportunities, as well as its downsides and risks. Concrete use cases help move beyond the buzzwords and hype of VR to a real understanding of when it is exceptionally useful (and when it is not). The chapter also explores the DICE framework, which involves using VR for things that are otherwise dangerous, impossible, counterproductive or expensive, as a useful guide. Key policy issues for VR and immersive technologies include privacy challenges, in particular those associated with tracking data, and safety, especially for children and in moving vehicles.

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