DR SAMEER KISHORE
HEAD OF IMMERSIVE VRX LAB, MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY DUBAI
How would you define the metaverse? Currently, we’re still very much in the conceptual stage of the metaverse, so definitions vary depending on who you ask and how much they ‘believe’ in the future of this concept. However, broadly speaking, the metaverse describes a vision of a parallel, fully connected, 3D ‘virtual’ reality that would exist alongside our actual reality. We would access this virtual world using immersive technologies such as VR or AR headsets.
What will people be able to do in the metaverse? The idea of the metaverse is to give users the ability to connect with each other virtually as avatars. We could think of the metaverse as this virtual ‘physical’ space where people can socialise, work, play games, learn, explore new areas and even create content. In this sense, the concept isn’t new. Second Life, an online platform for people to connect and communicate with each other using avatars, has existed since 2003. More recently, VR apps such as VRChat and Rec Room provide the same functionality. However, similar to how a single website is a small part of the internet, these individual experiences will become a building block of the metaverse.
How will it redefine society as we know it? This is a tricky question, but an extremely crucial one to address. As with every new technology or innovation, whether related to robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), or the metaverse, the technology itself isn’t inherently good or evil. However, the way it is used by people and businesses could potentially have a significant influence on society.
Thus, this question cannot be answered just from a technological perspective but requires ethical, legal and a social psychological point-of-view as well. Issues related to data collection using relatively less complex apps such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have already gained significant attention in the last few years. The sheer detail of user data that could be collected in the metaverse could even include personal physiological data (heart rate, facial expressions, eye tracking, emotions), posing strong ethical questions about how it could be used and monetised. While this isn’t meant to scare people away from the concept, it’s an important discussion to be had at this stage, when the metaverse is still being shaped.
Similarly, how will it shift the way we do business? We are already seeing how dependent we are on the internet to communicate with each other, a fact that has been accelerated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With remote meeting platforms such as MS Teams, Zoom and Cisco Webex driving so many industries forward, the metaverse could be an extremely powerful platform that provides an even richer experience. While we don’t have a clear vision yet on specific examples, we have already seen to some extent the potential of VR/AR technologies in various sectors such as education, tourism, business, medicine, as well as manufacturing. In addition, the announcement of the metaverse has already led to several new business avenues that didn’t exist earlier. For example, selling and buying of ‘virtual’ real-estate and other NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) that could be used in the metaverse. However, again, the question of their legality, ethical considerations and future value remains to be seen.
The metaverse is only in its early stages – when do you think it will become the norm? The idea of a parallel, ‘virtual’ reality has been a recurring theme in science fiction literature and movies, including The Matrix, and more recently, Ready Player One. However, now this concept is being touted as a very real ‘successor’ to the internet by many. Especially with the interest being exhibited by tech giants, such as Microsoft, Apple, and most significantly, Meta (formerly known as Facebook), faith in the metaverse is clear to see. While it’s difficult to say when this will become the norm, or if it will even become
the norm in the way we imagine it today, we can be sure that immersive technology (AR/ VR) will soon become a part of our lives in some way or the other. As is the case with many predictions related to the evolution of new technology, not every idea comes true. What role will social media play in this? Social media has shown to be an extremely powerful tool for shaping choices and influencing outcomes related to the next meal you’re going to have, all the way to deciding the next US president. Similar to the previous question about redefining society, we have to carefully consider the effect of social media from a user’s perspective and also from the perspective of the companies that run these platforms. Meta owns Oculus, one of the most popular VR headset manufacturers, and thus also owns all the usage data connected to these devices. More recently, there has been criticism towards them for forcing Oculus Quest users to link their Facebook account to their Oculus account. While it might seem like an innocent requirement, this kind of profile and data linking is what could potentially have a huge impact on the future of the metaverse.
In your opinion, for those who don’t adapt, what will happen? Since the technology is still quite conceptual, it is difficult to say what will happen to those that don’t adapt. Some experts predict this technology will become as ubiquitous as the smartphone, so you can imagine life for someone today without one – how would a day be for someone that doesn’t have apps like WhatsApp, Instagram and Google Maps in the palm of their hands? On the other hand, some compare it to owning a gaming console, like an Xbox or a PlayStation, which is not as universal and critical in terms of impact.