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 XR04:10 Meet Neilda11:09 From Silicon Valley to Ottawa: The Unexpected Start of a Community Builder12:54 How Tech Meetups Led to a Career Breakthrough15:13 Breaking Into Tech: UX, Networking, and Learning Fast16:12 Why Real Connection Beats "Networking"18:36 Discovering a Passion for Building Communities19:56 What Many Get Wrong About Tech Communities21:23 XR vs AI Communities: What’s Different?23:34: Building a Thriving AI Ecosystem28:18 From 'Community' to Company'28:41 The Real Challenge: Making Communities Sustainable30:18 Why Collaboration Beats Competition in Builder Spaces30:38 The Difference Between “Idea People” and Builders31:35 What Makes AI Tinkerers Different32:29 How a Community Grows From 3 to 1500 People33:01 What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About Community33:17 Designing an Ecosystem (Not Just a Community)33:57 How to Know If Your Community Can Survive Without You35:25 The Problem With Leader-Centered Communities39:05 Why Fun Is a Serious Strategy42:41 Why Innovation Thrives Outside Silicon Valley43:26 Individualism vs Community: What Actually Works?47:28 The Hidden Link Bt Community and Diversity in Tech49:42 Creating a Hacker House52:56 Turning Community Into a Sustainable Ecosystem54:03 Real Success Stories From the Community55:43 How to Select the Right Builders for Your Ecosystem58:09 Structural Challenges of Creating XR Builder Communities01:03:39 Why XR Communities Fragment01:05:43 What It Takes to Build Sustainable Tech Communities01:07:41 The Role Big Tech Plays (and Often Misses)01:08:46 Managing Conflict in High-Performance Communities01:11:25 If Communities Drive Innovation… What Must Big Tech Change?01:13:34 Builder Ecosystems vs Startup Ecosystems01:17:55 Mistakes That Kill Communities01:20:44 What keeps Builders consistent?01:21:28 Creating Spaces Where Everyone Can Contribute01:23:06 Claude vs ChatGPT?