Uses for AI in Developing Educational XR Experiences: Emerging Best Practices

Extended Reality (XR) systems have become affordable and easier to use. The availability of easy-to-use consumer devices has led to explorations into the feasibility of integrating XR into higher education teaching and learning. However, adoption of XR in higher education has been limited so far, especially due to the complexities involved in creating XR experiences. This paper outlines emerging ways in which new Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies can overcome some of those barriers by facilitating the XR development processes. The topics of this paper include the role of GenAI in supporting: 1) the coding side of XR development; 2) the generation of 3D content such as objects, scenes, and worlds; 3) the incorporation of intelligent XR agents as interactive characters; and 4) the enhancement of accessibility features. These topics are considered, in turn, from the perspective of how academic technology service models can evolve to support these new GenAI-based approaches to academic XR development.