What's this? Assange is out?

There he is ... Julian Assange and Eugene Jarecki appear on stage together. Picture: Vimeo. Source: Supplied

JULIAN Assange can't leave the Ecuadorean Embassy without being arrested. So many were left rubbing their eyes when he appeared at a US conference.

However the WikiLeaks founder was following in the footsteps of others like Tupac and Michael Jackson by appearing in the form of a hologram.

Back from the dead ... Snoop Dogg and Tupac appear on stage together in 2012. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

That meant the 43-year-old could appear at the Nantucket Project conference in Massachusetts and not end up in handcuffs.

It was arranged by British billionaire Alki David, whose company Hologram USA specialises in the sort of technology that saw Assange take the stage next to documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki.

Assange has been living in the Ecuadorean Embassy since 2012 amid fears he would be extradited to Sweden to answer sexual assault charges.

The Australian whistleblower used his appearance at the conference to slam promote his new book and slam Google's privacy policies.

Assange's book When Google Met WikiLeaks is set to be released this week.

Assange's appearance via hologram is not the first time such technology has been used at events.

In 2012, Tupac appeared at Coachella, when Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg performed with the late rapper on stage.

Not really there ... Michael Jackson at the Billboard Music Awards in 2014. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

Earlier this year Michael Jackson appeared on stage at the Billboard Music Awards, also via hologram.