A personalized AI assistant, direct from the world of Black Mirror, is now stepping out of the screen and into your headset. “The Black Mirror Experience,” unveiled at Cannes, is a virtual reality project that puts you—literally—at the center of a story about technology’s power, promise, and perils.

Born from the collaboration between French entertainment giant Banijay and Barcelona-based studio Univrse, this immersive journey offers a taste of the future that feels both thrilling and unsettlingly familiar. If you’re a fan of the dystopian Netflix series (or just curious about the next wave of tech in your life), this experience is designed to make you think—and maybe rethink—your relationship with AI.

**How does it work?**
Participants don a VR headset and are guided through a “brain mapping” session. Here, you build LifeAgent, a virtual helper tailored to your habits, interests, and quirks. The process is interactive, and the result is an AI that feels eerily personal.

Once LifeAgent is set, you’re dropped into a series of scenarios, from a live concert to a psychoanalytic session with none other than Sigmund Freud. It’s playful, surreal, and—like any good Black Mirror story—a little bit unsettling.

**Charlie Brooker’s fingerprints**
Charlie Brooker, the creator of the original Black Mirror series, consulted with the Univrse team to help capture the show’s signature blend of entertainment and existential dread. Kristof Bardos, Univrse’s producer, told AFP, “In the end, we decided to create an original story based on the principles of Black Mirror—thought-provoking, fun, and a bit dystopian.”

The experience lasts about an hour, blending story, interactivity, and even elements found in video games. For Bardos and his team, it was crucial that the project be “entertaining and engaging for groups,” while still delivering the punchy social commentary Black Mirror is known for.

“You’re not just watching Black Mirror anymore,” Bardos says. “You’re living a new episode.”

**A global journey**
After Cannes, “The Black Mirror Experience” will travel to Montreal and Madrid, as part of the festival’s immersive competition lineup. This parallel section highlights boundary-pushing projects, from large-scale video installations to interactive and VR works—showcasing just how far digital storytelling can go.

For millennials, migrants, and anyone curious about the future of tech and society, “The Black Mirror Experience” is more than just entertainment. It’s a wake-up call about the choices we make—and the digital companions we invite into our lives.