The term ‘empathy machine’ is being overused and is risking devaluation & possibly steering VR in the wrong emotional direction. For many, evolving beyond empathy means intimacy, simulating relationships with characters. VR creators from intimacy and empathy perspectives & psychological researchers discuss the accuracy of empathy-provoking VR, effects of intimate VR & how to best leverage VR’s ability to inflict emotions to create innovative content that exposes the medium & stories of others

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]