During the March 2025 Community Round Table / Town Hall meeting (which I have summarised here, complete with the official video of the event†), there was a peaceful demonstration by some Second Life users on the use of AI / generative AI within the platform. Such concerns have also been formulated elsewhere, such as this document outlining objections to AI on the Feedback Portal.
At the time of that meeting, Lab CTO, Philip Rosedale stated the company would look to hold an open Town Hall meeting to discuss concerns about AI, together with the opportunities it might present, and on community values around the use / presentation of AI in Second Life.
On Monday, April 14th, 2025, the Lab officially announced the event, now entitled Second Life Town Hall on AI & the Future of Our Virtual Community.
Meeting Date, Time and Location
- Date and Time: Friday, April 18th, 2025, commencing at 12:30 SLT.
- Venue:
Meeting Purpose
To quote from the official blog post:
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly present in both our physical and virtual worlds, the Second Life community is coming together for a Special Town Hall event to explore its evolving role and impact within our shared metaverse.
This special event will include an open and interactive conversation focused on the opportunities, concerns, and community values surrounding AI in Second Life. We’ll be diving into topics that matter deeply to residents—from identity and authenticity to economic impact, creative ownership, and the future of social interaction.
This event will be hosted by Second Life founder Philip Rosedale, who will facilitate a lively discussion with the community on all-things-AI.
Topics under consideration for discussion are listed as:
- How AI-generated avatars may affect identity and trust in social spaces
- Generative AI and the Second Life creative economy.
- Emotional manipulation, consent, and transparency with AI-driven characters
- Use of AI in customer support and other non-in-world services
- Balancing creative opportunities and responsible use of emerging AI tools
Participation
The meeting is open to all Second Life users and will – I presume, as there was no direct mention of this in the official announcement when I read it – be livestreamed. Direct participation in the event is being offered in one of two ways:
- Those who have questions / comments / thoughts on the potential / current use of AI in Second Life can submit such questions or comments for consideration during the event via this form.
- Those wishing to make an initial brief presentation or give prepared comments on the subject should submit a request via this form.
†While they are not officially representative of the Lab or these meetings, please note that I attempt to provide summaries of meeting such as these, and for a number of user group session within these pages.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 