The Existential Crisis of a Tech Enthusiast

Over The Existential Crisis of a Tech Enthusiast

In this series, former PM and industry insider Clorama Dorvilias explores the growing tension inside the tech industry and the widening gap as enthusiasts begin questioning their role, their return on investment, and their place in the ever-shifting promises of XR and emerging tech.From “prototype-as-product” launches to puzzling “standout features,” to disappearing partnerships and constantly deprecated SDKs… a ten-year journey toward “the next biggest platform after mobile” has left consumer enthusiasts, investors, entrepreneurs, and developers all asking the same question:Who is this actually for?2026 is bringing a wave of new XR devices from both big and small players alike. And yet, despite constant user feedback, community discussions, and access to unprecedented amounts of data, many of these products still miss the mark (or arrive on wobbly footing).So with billions in resources, huge AAA partnerships and Blockbuster IPs, and access to more real world user data than any other companies in the world…What is big tech still getting wrong?Join us for this 6-episode series as we unpack the latest XR releases and examine the thinking, incentives, and strategies that may be steering the industry away from the very people who once believed in it most.

Why AI Scaled Faster Than XR: The Community Problem Big Tech is Missing Today? | Episode 4

Why did AI take off so quickly, while XR, despite years of promise and investment, never quite caught the same fire? In this episode, I sit down with Neilda Pacquing Gagné, former XR founder turned AI ecosystem builder, to explore a simple but powerful idea: it’s not just the hardware technology that makes something grow, it’s the people and communities who build for it. Neilda shares her experience growing Ottawa’s AI community from just a handful of people to over 1,500 in two years. And what becomes clear is this: strong builder communities act like fire starters. If new tech is the spark, developers and creators keep the fire going--helping it catch, spread, and burn long enough to turn into something real. We talk about what helped AI catch that fire, easy ways to get started, tools people could actually use, and a culture of learning together (and why XR, in many ways, struggled to build that same kind of shared momentum despite the hype.) This conversation is also a reflection on something many tech platforms still overlook: tech roadmaps on their own doesn’t create lasting impact people do, when they’re connected integrated into that planning in the right way. We discuss: • Why XR felt more fragmented and harder to build within • Why AI feels more open and easier to experiment with • What it takes to build a healthy, active builder community • What platform leaders can learn from these differences • Why community isn’t just support (Hint: it’s what drives growth) If you’re thinking about where technology is headed, this is really a conversation about the invisible forces that decide whether something grows...or fades out. 00:00 Why AI Is Scaling Faster Than XR 04:10 Meet Neilda 11:09 From Silicon Valley to Ottawa: The Unexpected Start of a Community Builder 12:54 How Tech Meetups Led to a Career Breakthrough 15:13 Breaking Into Tech: UX, Networking, and Learning Fast 16:12 Why Real Connection Beats "Networking" 18:36 Discovering a Passion for Building Communities 19:56 What Many Get Wrong About Tech Communities 21:23 XR vs AI Communities: What’s Different? 23:34: Building a Thriving AI Ecosystem 28:18 From 'Community' to Company' 28:41 The Real Challenge: Making Communities Sustainable 30:18 Why Collaboration Beats Competition in Builder Spaces 30:38 The Difference Between “Idea People” and Builders 31:35 What Makes AI Tinkerers Different 32:29 How a Community Grows From 3 to 1500 People 33:01 What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About Community 33:17 Designing an Ecosystem (Not Just a Community) 33:57 How to Know If Your Community Can Survive Without You 35:25 The Problem With Leader-Centered Communities 39:05 Why Fun Is a Serious Strategy 42:41 Why Innovation Thrives Outside Silicon Valley 43:26 Individualism vs Community: What Actually Works? 47:28 The Hidden Link Bt Community and Diversity in Tech 49:42 Creating a Hacker House 52:56 Turning Community Into a Sustainable Ecosystem 54:03 Real Success Stories From the Community 55:43 How to Select the Right Builders for Your Ecosystem 58:09 Structural Challenges of Creating XR Builder Communities 01:03:39 Why XR Communities Fragment 01:05:43 What It Takes to Build Sustainable Tech Communities 01:07:41 The Role Big Tech Plays (and Often Misses) 01:08:46 Managing Conflict in High-Performance Communities 01:11:25 If Communities Drive Innovation… What Must Big Tech Change? 01:13:34 Builder Ecosystems vs Startup Ecosystems 01:17:55 Mistakes That Kill Communities 01:20:44 What keeps Builders consistent? 01:21:28 Creating Spaces Where Everyone Can Contribute 01:23:06 Claude vs ChatGPT?

12 apr 2026 - 1 h 24 min