Wagner James Au

Wagner James Au

Keynote Speaker: Authority on the Metaverse, Virtual Worlds & the Game Industry

Wagner James Au Biography

Wagner James Au is the author of "Making a Metaverse That Matters" (Wiley, 2023), based on his 20 years working in the metaverse industry, starting as the first journalist officially embedded inside the virtual world of Second Life. His blog New World Notes, launched in 2006, is the longest-running and most-cited news site devoted to Metaverse news and culture. A frequent speaker and media commentator, his recent themes include:

  • Why the Metaverse is even more relevant in this era of generative AI and programs like ChatGPT.
  • Why the Metaverse is inspiring, powerful, and already popular with over 600 million people -- and has a potential near-term market of 1 billion.
  • Cutting through common metaverse myths -- and focusing on powerful real world use cases across many industries.
  • How the Metaverse compares with spatial computing -- and how Apple's Vision Pro will help bridge both technologies.
  • A starting guide for businesses and organizations interested in seeking true value and ROI from leading metaverse platforms.

He has spoken about the Metaverse, virtual worlds, and related topics at South by Southwest, the Milken Institute, Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, and at conferences across Europe and Asia.

James is also author of "The Making of Second Life" (HarperCollins, 2008) and "Game Design Secrets" (Wiley, 2012). and his writing about virtual worlds has been featured in The Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, and Wired, among many other publications. He has consulted on metaverse-related projects for Samsung, Mattel, Deloitte, Forrester, US and EU government bodies, among many other organizations.

He is based in Los Angeles.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Wagner James Au and other top speakers and celebrities.

Wagner James Au Videos

"Making a Metaverse That Matters", from Second Life to AI & VisionPro
Discussing "Making a Metaverse That Matters" | GamesBeat 2023
What is the metaverse?: Two experts give their take

How do I book Wagner James Au to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Wagner James Au for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Wagner James Au, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Wagner James Au or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Wagner James Au for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Wagner James Au, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Wagner James Au are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $20,000 - $30,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Wagner James Au, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Wagner James Au speak about?

Wagner James Au is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Authors, Technology, Education, Gaming, Economy, Finance, Modern Media, Innovation, Futurism, Virtual Reality and Literary.

Where does Wagner James Au travel from?

Wagner James Au generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Wagner James Au?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Wagner James Au for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Wagner James Au for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Wagner James Au or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Wagner James Au is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Authors and Technology. The estimated speaking fee range to book Wagner James Au for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $20,000 - $30,000. Wagner James Au generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Thomas Frey, Brenda Louise Romero and Ian Beacraft. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Wagner James Au for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 16/09/2024.

Wagner James Au Videos

"Making a Metaverse That Matters", from Second Life to AI & VisionPro
Discussing "Making a Metaverse That Matters" | GamesBeat 2023
What is the metaverse?: Two experts give their take

Wagner James Au News

  • Making a metaverse that matters | Wagner James Au interview/podcast

    Wagner James Au has been covering the idea of the metaverse for decades. He was the first embedded journalist inside the world of Second Life, the early virtual world from Linden Lab. And now he’s back with his own book about the metaverse, the universe of virtual worlds that are all interconnected, like in novels such as Snow Crash and Ready Player One

  • Neal Stephenson isn’t giving up on the metaverse—or crypto

    The author of ‘Snow Crash’ and co-founder of Lamina1 talks about the novel’s long-delayed Hollywood adaptation, and why he finally decided to develop a real-world metaverse of his own.

  • Remember Second Life? That Could Be Facebook’s Future

    A Q&A with Wagner James Au, author of “The Making of Second Life,” on why the short-lived success of the first virtual world has lessons for the metaverse.

  • Weirdly, Taylor Swift Is Extremely Close to Creating a True Metaverse

    Taylor Swift has released a new album called Midnights. Over the past several weeks, Swift has presided over a meticulous online rollout: Ahead of the album’s drop, she launched “Midnights Mayhem With Me,” a TikTok video series wherein she released the 13 track names one by one via bingo. This week, she went as far as to release a full launch schedule for fans via Instagram that detailed exactly what would happen at which times and where online—including a “special very chaotic surprise” at 3 a.m. ET last night.

  • There Will Never Be Another Second Life

    The virtual world, a strange cross between Burning Man and Neal Stephenson’s metaverse, marks its 20th anniversary with no true corporate competitor in sight.

  • How do I book Wagner James Au to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Wagner James Au for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Wagner James Au, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Wagner James Au or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Wagner James Au for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Wagner James Au, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Wagner James Au are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $20,000 - $30,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Wagner James Au, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Wagner James Au speak about?

    Wagner James Au is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Authors, Technology, Education, Gaming, Economy, Finance, Modern Media, Innovation, Futurism, Virtual Reality and Literary.
  • Where does Wagner James Au travel from?

    Wagner James Au generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Wagner James Au?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Wagner James Au for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Wagner James Au for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Wagner James Au or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
BOOKING INFORMATION REQUEST
WAGNER JAMES AU

We are happy to assist you with your interest in booking a speaker or celebrity for your event, your organization, and the type of talent you would like to secure, and an agent will be in touch shortly.

Fill out the form below to or call us at 1-800-698-2536 if need immediate assistance.

Tell us about your event!

We respond to most inquiries within 4 hours. Under special circumstances, it may take up to 24 hours.


This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.