Immersive technologies—such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), digital twins, and virtual worlds—are rapidly transforming how societies interact with digital content, offering new opportunities across sectors including healthcare, education, manufacturing, and culture. Despite their growing relevance, policymaking specific to immersive technologies remains nascent and fragmented.
This paper provides an overview of national and sub-national strategies and policies explicitly targeting immersive technologies, drawing on a dataset of 53 policies from 23 countries and the European Union. The analysis identifies five major policy approaches:
Targeted funding: Direct financial support for immersive technology development and deployment.
Non-targeted funding: Broader digital transformation programmes that include immersive technologies.
Digital technology ecosystem support: Infrastructure, skills, and standards initiatives to enable immersive technology adoption.
Strategic frameworks: National or regional strategies outlining long-term visions for immersive technologies.
Guidance and principles: Voluntary frameworks promoting responsible innovation and security.
Policymaking related to immersive technologies emerged slowly after 2010 and accelerated a decade later with 70% of relevant policies introduced since 2020. This suggests a rapid acceleration in policy attention, likely driven by growing adoption and the societal impact of immersive technologies, namely virtual and augmented reality.
Most policies aim to accelerate development and adoption, especially in SMEs and public services, with targeted funding and strategic initiatives being the most common. Few policies directly address the potential risks associated with immersive technologies, and it remains uncertain whether existing frameworks adequately cover concerns such as privacy and digital security—particularly where experiences are personalised based on emotional responses or inferences drawn from behavioural and biometric data. These and other concerns such as psychological and child safety may be covered uniquely through guiding principles or strategies that signal longer-term intentions rather than imposing immediate requirements or safeguards.
The report also highlights the importance of international co-operation, given the cross-border nature of immersive technologies and the need for interoperability and shared standards.