A Chat with Alvin Wang Graylin: Author; Investor; Technology pioneer; Serial Entrepreneur; Global VP at HTC; Chairman of the Virtual World Society; Vice-Chair of the Industry of VR Alliance; President of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance

This week, Stephen Ibaraki has an exclusive interview with Alvin Wang Graylin.

Alvin Wang Graylin is a recognized executive, author, investor, and technology pioneer with over three decades of experience driving innovation in AI, XR, and semiconductors. He currently serves as Global VP at HTC, following a distinguished tenure as China President from 2016 to 2023. Graylin currently also holds leadership roles as Chairman of the Virtual World Society, Vice-Chair of the Industry of VR Alliance, and President of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance. His latest book, "Our Next Reality", published by Hachette Book Group, examines how AI and XR convergence will reshape society.

At HTC, Graylin was instrumental in securing the company's recognition as China's top VR brand at the World Conference of VR Industry from 2018-2022. He was also named the most influential figure in China's VR/AR industry from 2016 to 2022. Graylin's early VR research under Prof. Tom Furness at the HIT Lab provided a strong base for his career, which has been further enhanced by his expertise in AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) from the University of Washington and MIT.

As a serial entrepreneur, Graylin founded four venture-backed startups across sectors including AI-driven conversational search (2005), mobile social networks (2008), AR local search (2010), and big data AI analytics (2000), spanning both China and the U.S. As an active investor, he has funded over 100 startups and played a pivotal role in the establishment of HTC's ViveX Global VR accelerator and SOSV's mobile internet investment incubator. His corporate experience also includes senior roles at Intel/IBM (semiconductors) and Trend Micro/WatchGuard Technologies(cybersecurity).

A frequent keynote speaker at leading international conferences, Graylin is regularly featured in major media outlets, where he provides thought leadership on immersive computing (AR/VR/MR), artificial intelligence (AI), entrepreneurship, venture investing, and the Chinese market.

He holds an M.S. in Computer Science specializing in AI from MIT, an M.S. in Business from MIT's Sloan School of Management, and graduated top of his class with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington, focusing on VR, AI, and CPU architecture. Fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, Graylin brings a unique perspective shaped by his Eurasian heritage and extensive experience living and working across both China and the U.S. His career seamlessly bridges technical and business roles, offering deep insights into the future of technology and global markets.