Axon: Scaling One of the World’s Largest VR Training Programs for Public Safety
Description
In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Thi Luu, Vice President and General Manager of VR Training at Axon, to explore how immersive technology is transforming public safety training.
Axon, known globally for the TASER energy weapon and body-worn cameras, has made VR a cornerstone of its mission to reduce gun-related deaths between police and the public by 50% over the next decade. Thi shares how Axon scaled from early pilots to one of the largest VR deployments in the world, helping officers train more often, more effectively, and more safely.
From building muscle memory for high-stakes scenarios to using AI for verbal de-escalation, Thi offers a rare inside look at how Axon designs scalable, high-impact immersive training for thousands of agencies. She also explains how ArborXR helps Axon manage and scale headsets, enabling deployments across precincts, training academies, and field operations.
Whether you’re leading training for a police department or an enterprise team, this episode offers a masterclass in building scalable, data-informed XR programs that drive measurable impact.
Key Moments:
- Axon’s mission to reduce gun-related deaths through VR training (02:48 )
- VR as an essential part of public safety programs (05:20 )
- Evolution of Axon’s VR training with two-pronged curriculum (07:15 )
- Overcoming resistance and building buy-in across generations (15:24 )
- Real-world scenarios: How VR training prepared an officer to deescalate (20:57 )
- Lessons learned from scaling Axon VR training nationwide (24:34 )
- Measuring success beyond just metrics with ArborXR (27:50 )
- The future of immersive skills training: AI-powered learning (35:14 )
About the Guest:
Thi Luu is the Vice President and General Manager of VR Training at Axon, where she leads product, design, and engineering teams developing immersive training solutions for public safety. With over 20 years in technology, Thi has driven Axon’s VR expansion from pilot to global scale, training thousands of officers worldwide. Her team’s work has earned national recognition for innovation in de-escalation and less-lethal training.
About ArborXR:
ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at https://arborxr.com.
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