Artificial Intelligence for Virtual Reality: State of the Art, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

AI has numerous applications in virtual reality (VR), particularly in analyzing the progress of its implementation, identifying existing limitations, and determining future development paths. This study finds that AI’s main contributions to VR are in four key areas: creating intelligent virtual characters, advancing education and training, providing medical assistance, and generating dynamic scenes. This interdisciplinary convergence also brings significant opportunities, particularly in sectors such as education, healthcare, gaming, and corporate training. Additionally, the study discusses technical challenges related to computational costs, real-time feedback, user privacy, and algorithmic ethics. Critical challenges persist in data processing bottlenecks, privacy protection issues, and user adaptation. While AI enhances VR’s intelligence and interactivity, breakthroughs are still needed in cross-modal integration, privacy, security, and user experience. Future advancements in deep learning and reinforcement learning may unlock unlimited potential for AI-driven VR in personalized adaptation and immersive interaction. Therefore, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of AI–VR integration, providing valuable insights for academic research and technological development.