What Do Banks, VR, and the Mars Rover Have in Common?

Virtual reality is popping up in almost every industry, doing things that were once unimaginable. How did it grow from the stuff of Sci-Fi into a real world revolution? As with so many things, it began with a language.  In this episode of the Ideas podcast, we explore the virtual future by looking at one of the earliest VR worlds. Bryan Carter, a professor at the University of Arizona, guides us on a tour of Virtual Harlem, an early VR world that allowed his students to walk the streets of the Harlem Renaissance. Then, Alexis Macklin, an analyst for Greenlight Insights, takes us to the future—one filled with virtual coffee dates, schools, and vacations. Along the way, we explore the coding language at the root of the VR explosion: C++. Morgan Stanley Managing Director Bjarne Stroustrup, who created the C++ programming language more than 30 years ago, tells us what it took to build a near-universal coding language that took on a life of its own, and has become the source code for everything from web browsers and video games to financial modelling and space exploration.  For more, visit http://morganstanley.com/ideas.  The host Ashley Milne-Tyte is an employee of Pineapple Street Media. The guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. (“Morgan Stanley”). The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. This podcast does not provide individually tailored investment advice and is not a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. The strategies and/or investments discussed in this podcast may not be suitable for all investors. Morgan Stanley recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. This podcast may contain forward-looking statements and there can be no guarantee that they will come to pass. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. © 2018 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Members SIPC.