Tech prophet Jaron Lanier, now a Santa Cruz local, returns to a primary passion – music

Tech pioneer and virtual reality visionary Jaron Lanier returns to his musical roots in Santa Cruz, where he once busked on the streets decades ago.

Now settled back in Santa Cruz after the pandemic, Lanier maintains an impressive collection of rare instruments from around the world while balancing his Microsoft research role with his lifelong passion for music. Despite his fame as a tech critic through bestselling books like "Who Owns the Future?", music remains his primary creative outlet and personal expression.

• Lanier will perform at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in October 2024 for "Music & the Future of Humanity"
• A new piano concerto he composed will debut with the Santa Cruz Symphony in May 2026
• His home houses an extensive archive of global instruments, including the world's only contra-bass oboe
• He warns against AI replacing human musical creativity, comparing it to robots having sex instead of humans