Napster Corp's Sam Huber on how immersive tech is impacting the future of education

Gulf Business

15 hours ago

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Imagine learning from a professor who's available 24/7, speaks your language, and adapts to your learning style. At Imperial College London's IDEA Lab, that vision is already a reality, thanks to a video-based, AI platform that enables natural, intuitive chat with AI agents, now changing how students engage with complex topics.
Across the Middle East, similar immersive technologies are being embraced not as novelties but as a new foundation for delivering education.
The shift is already underway. When Dubai announced artificial intelligence would become a mandatory school subject in the UAE starting in 2025, it wasn't simply a policy decision – it was a clear signal. The region is preparing students for an AI-driven future, and an immersive learning environment plays a central role in it.
We applaud the direction being taken and strengthen it with partnerships like the company's collaboration with
These efforts represent a fundamental reimagining of institutional learning.
Immersive tech + AI: Rethinking how students learn
Immersive technology powered by AI has the potential to reshape learning. In a virtual field trip to Petra, for instance, AI can adapt the narrative based on a student's curiosity, slowing down for questions, offering extra detail where there's interest, and skipping what the student already knows. It becomes a dynamic, responsive experience.
In science classes, simulations can pause or zoom in when students seem confused. In language labs, pronunciation tools adjust in real time.
A more intuitive and supportive learning environment emerges — one that adjusts naturally to visual, auditory, and hands-on learners alike.
The impact on higher education and professional training is even more pronounced. Medical students in Dubai can now perform virtual surgeries that respond to their skill levels, providing increasingly complex scenarios as competency grows.
Engineering students build and stress-test structures in virtual environments that simulate real-world physics and material constraints. Architecture students walk clients through proposed buildings before the ground is broken, receiving immediate feedback that improves both design and communication skills.
Immersive education: From vision to implementation
The Middle East's approach to education technology reveals a crucial insight—they are not deploying technology for its sake. They are deploying technology that will help increase the level of engagement teachers have with their students and the curriculum that will help them succeed. This outcome-first mindset means greater efficiency.
One immersive setup might be used for a history simulation in the morning, a biology lab in the afternoon, and a language immersion in the evening. The infrastructure supports multiple subjects without needing to be rebuilt for each one.
Teachers are also finding their roles shifting—from content deliverers to experience designers. Their expertise is still central, but now it's increasingly used to create engaging, interactive sessions that bring subjects to life.
Building with partners
Transformation doesn't exist in isolation. Across the Middle East, governments, universities, and technology companies are building long-term partnerships to co-create new educational tools. These collaborations help institutions stay current without taking on the full development burden.
The digital twin work at Imperial College is one example. They've developed AI-powered versions of real professors — digital teachers that adapt over time and provide students with tailored, on-demand guidance. It's not a replacement for educators, but an extension of what's possible in the learning experience.
These kinds of partnerships ensure that the benefits — and the risks — are shared. Tech providers gain valuable insights from classroom use. Educators access tools they wouldn't be able to build alone. Governments see measurable progress toward national education goals.
We are already seeing meaningful results. At INSEAD, over
Why the Middle East's lead matters
By investing early and aligning strategies across sectors, the Middle East is shaping a new model for education. The benefits go beyond classrooms. A generation of students comfortable with AI tools and immersive environments will enter the workforce ready for a digital-first economy.
This leadership could also influence global approaches. As other regions look to modernise their education systems, many may follow the Middle East's example — not just in the technology used, but in the way outcomes, policy, and collaboration are integrated from the start.
Looking ahead
The next step is scale. For immersive education to move from innovation to infrastructure, it must be treated as an essential, as basic to the classroom as textbooks and whiteboards.
This means continuing collaboration between innovators and educators. True success will be measured by the unique skills students gain—like spatial reasoning, cultural empathy, and scientific intuition—that traditional education can't provide.
The Middle East is building something new—and in doing so, setting the pace for what's possible in education worldwide.
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