I get the question frequently, why am I and why my firm is looking at Spatial Computing – what is the applicability of it at a Financial firm. The future of augmented reality (AR) is likely to involve increased integration with other technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) and the internet of things (IoT), to create more immersive and interactive experiences. There will also likely be an increase in the use of AR in areas such as education, healthcare, and e-commerce. Additionally, advancements in areas such as machine learning, computer vision, and 5G networks will likely lead to more realistic and responsive AR experiences.

Coming back to the original question, there are several ways that augmented reality (AR) could be used in the finance and banking industry. Some possible applications include:

• Customer service: Banks and financial institutions could use AR to provide customers with virtual assistance for tasks such as opening accounts, making transactions, or obtaining loan approvals. This could potentially improve the customer experience and reduce the need for in-person visits to branches.
• Training and education: Financial institutions could use AR to provide employees with interactive and engaging training sessions. This could be particularly useful for training employees on complex financial products or regulations.
• Risk management: Financial institutions could use AR to visualize and analyze large amounts of data in order to identify potential risks or opportunities. This could potentially help to improve decision making and reduce the impact of financial crises.
• Investment and wealth management: AR could be used to provide customers with virtual portfolio management and investment advice. This could allow customers to view and analyze their investments in real-time, and make informed decisions about how to allocate their assets.
• Fraud detection: AR could be used to detect potential fraud by analyzing and visualizing large amounts of data from various sources. This could potentially help to reduce the impact of fraud on financial institutions.
• Banking apps: Financial institutions could use AR to enhance the functionality of their mobile banking apps. For example, customers could use their smartphones to point their camera at a check to deposit it (this is already available at most banks) or point at a foreign currency to get its real-time conversion rate.
• ATM’s: Banks could use AR to enhance the customer experience at ATMs. For example, customers could use AR to visualize the location of the nearest ATM, or to receive step-by-step instructions on how to use the machine.
• Marketing and Advertising: Banks could use AR to create interactive and engaging marketing campaigns. For example, they could use AR to create virtual tours of their branches or to simulate the experience of using a new financial product.
• Remote assistance: Banks could use AR to provide customers with remote assistance for tasks such as loan application, account opening, and investment advice. For example, customers could use AR to visualize and interact with virtual financial advisors, and to receive real-time feedback on their financial decisions.
• Cybersecurity: Banks could use AR to train their employees on how to detect and respond to cyber threats. This could be particularly useful for detecting phishing attacks and other forms of social engineering.

Overall, the use of AR in finance and banking could lead to improved efficiency, cost savings, and a better customer experience. However, implementation of AR technology would require investment and collaboration with experts in the field, hence I am working on this with several industry partners and startups.