An interesting question that many futurists have been thinking about. Be it from references to novels such as Ready Player One, through to the ease of delivering remote capability – we can be sure that the Metaverse (or virtual reality), will have a place to play in our future lives. Our use of technology has increased at an exponential rate for many years now, and we are beginning to see the emergence of technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). These two technologies have been predicted to help us create new worlds that will impact our lives in ways we can only imagine. By combining augmented and mixed reality enhancements we are in an exciting phase of our lives.
If we consider that we are using the web in a fairly linear way at the moment, this makes VR growth exciting. The value of the internet has barely been scratched. Sure, you may now accomplish tasks that were once thought impossible. For example, you can get food delivered or request a car with a click of a button. However, while the metaverse idea has been around for decades, it is only recently gaining mainstream recognition. The biggest step forward in the use of VR was when Facebook bought Oculus Rift, a leading virtual reality company. This meant that one of the largest tech companies in the world was now investing in it. The acquisition is estimated to have cost $2 billion and came just as researchers were beginning to explore how virtual reality could be used for medical purposes. It is interesting that Facebooks parent company (Alphabet), has now rebranded as Meta, and positioning as a metaverse company.
As technology continues to develop, it is becoming clear that the metaverse has the potential to be bigger than the internet and change the world more than anything that has come before it.
Here are five reasons why:
- The Metaverse is More immersive Than the internet – The internet is a great place for researching and sharing information. But it lacks immersion in the real world. On the other hand, the metaverse will be a completely immersive experience as time goes on. It will be possible to create virtual worlds that are just like our own, but without any of the limitations. You will be able to go anywhere in your mind, and interact with anyone or anything.
- The Metaverse is More Interactive Than the Internet – The internet is mostly a one-way street. You can consume content, but you can’t really interact with it. On the other hand, the metaverse will allow you to interact with others in a way that is more akin to the real world. You will be able to interact with the environment in a way that is more natural and intuitive than it is on the internet. You will be able to create content, participate in virtual games, and even socialize with others from around the world. The metaverse will give you an opportunity to step away from reality for a while – but not lose touch with it completely.
- The Metaverse is More Social Than the Internet – The internet makes it possible to connect with people from all over the world easily and quickly. But it’s still not as social as the real world. The metaverse provides a more social experience, allowing you to interact with others in a way that is more natural, intimate, or as personal and anonymous as you would like. The metaverse allows you to create your own avatar and interact with others in a virtual space. Your avatar can be anything from an animal to an alien, or even something that doesn’t exist in reality! You can choose what it looks like, the clothes it wears, its voice and personality.
- The Metaverse is More Personal Than the Internet – The internet is a great place to find information, but it’s not always personalized. The metaverse, on the other hand, will be able to provide a more personalized experience by tailoring content and experiences to your specific interests. You can create your own virtual space and decorate it with objects that reflect your personality. You can also meet new people, attend events and concerts, or just hang out with friends in the metaverse.
- The Metaverse Will Be Bigger Than The Internet – The internet consists of a global network of computers. On the other hand, the metaverse is a global network of people that gets larger and larger each day. This difference in scale will allow the metaverse to offer a much richer and more diverse range of experiences. The metaverse will be your home. You can customize it and make it feel like a place where you truly belong. The metaverse will let you create the life that you want, instead of just existing in the one that was handed to you by others.
Some will find this prospect quite frightening, as do I.
We are on the tipping point of when science fiction of our teenage years is starting to become reality. In the next few years, we will see the world change in a way that is hard to predict. The metaverse will be there for us as a place where we can go to escape from reality, or as a place where we can build our own realities.
Is this good, is this bad?
Do people already do some of this through mindfulness apps, watching streaming reality TV, or listening to music?
I guess my main point is that I think it’s important for us to be aware of the world around us, and what we can do to make it better. There will always be people who have a different idea of what is right or wrong, good or bad. In the end, though, I believe that having more tools at our disposal will allow us to make better choices in life.
So far, the internet has only scratched the surface of what’s possible. The metaverse, on the other hand, has the potential to change the world more than anything that has come before it. Thanks to technological advances, the metaverse is becoming more realistic and immersive. Many metaverse platforms exist and are growing. This in itself should add to competition, which one could consider as good, but also with the abundance of platforms comes risk as to which one(s) a business could consider.
As it continues to develop, it will become increasingly clear that its potential is limitless. So don’t be surprised if, in the not-so-distant future, the metaverse is more significant than the internet.
