We all know that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability of smart machines or computer controlled robots to perform tasks that require human intelligence. AI applications have become common in daily life, and adopted by many industries as well. Just like Artificial Intelligence created a buzz in the market, Metaverse is the hot topic of discussion in the world of technology. What is metaverse? How are metaverse and AI related?
What is the metaverse?
- The metaverse is a digital and virtual space combining the real and virtual world.
- In the metaverse, users can create things, interact with each other, play games just like they would in the real world.
- In the metaverse, users will have the power to interact with virtual avatars and 3D objects in the virtual reality world.
- Previously, metaverse was only used for entertainment and gaming. However, with the advancement of technology, and Facebook metaverse (announcement of change of Facebook to Meta), metaverse is likely to become more popular.
- Apart from entertainment and gaming, metaverse can be used in various fields like business, education, and socializing.
- For creating a powerful, scalable, and accurate world, metaverse will make use of technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) combined with AI and blockchain technology.
Metaverse and AI – What makes AI important for metaverse?
- One of the most crucial aspects of Metaverse is that AI will play an indispensable role in improving user interaction and experience.
- With metaverse and AI, users will be able to create more realistic 3D avatars based on their preferences, adding a touch of personalization.
- Also, virtual spaces that mimic real-world environments and interactions can be used to improve social interactions.
- It is also possible to create a completely safe and secure virtual world with improved security using metaverse and AI.
- Using artificial intelligence, digital avatars that warn users of any potential security threats can be created.
- Many organizations around the world have already created a secure virtual space where business meetings can be held in a secure environment.
- In today’s competitive world, nearly all businesses and brands are looking to create custom experiences based on the users’ preference.
- Brands could make use of metaverse and AI to create customized and tailor-made products for customers based on their preferences and interests. Doing so would give them a competitive edge in the market over other businesses.
- Companies like Intel, Microsoft, IBM, WeChat are already using metaverse and AI for various purposes to provide highly immersive and engaging experiences.
- The combination of metaverse and AI is still in the budding stage, and there is a lot of scope for improvement and innovation.
- Once fully functional, metaverse and AI along with AR, VR, and blockchain are going to provide highly immersive virtual experiences to customers.
How is metaverse going to use AI?
Now that we know about the metaverse and AI going hand-in-hand, here is how AI is going to be used in the metaverse.
Digital human beings
- In the virtual world created by metaverse, digital humans will be built using AI technology.
- Digital humans will be 3D chatbots that will have the ability to hear and listen to what the users are saying.
- Digital humans would also be able to interact, respond, and converse just like real-world human beings.
- The responses and actions of a digital human will be determined by a certain set of automated rules.
3D avatars
- With metaverse and AI, it is possible to create realistic and accurate 3D avatars just by scanning 2D images or 3D scans.
- People can create a replica of themselves in the virtual world of metaverse.
- They can also do a lot of customizations to the avatars like change the hair color and clothing style depending on their preference.
- Platforms like Ready Player Me are already allowing people to create full-body 3D avatars with a selfie and use it in various mobile applications and games.
Data learning
- With more and more data fed into the AI model, the output generated will be better every time.
- Based on previous models and historical data, the AI model can suggest new and better outputs.
- Eventually, AI models will get better and perform tasks just like humans do with limited human intervention.
- This way, the scalability of metaverse will increase continuously.
Natural languages
- With metaverse and AI, users across the globe will be able to interact with metaverse with complete freedom.
- AI models are trained to break down natural languages into a machine-readable format.
- After meticulous analysis, the output generated is converted into English and sent to the users.
- The process of natural language conversion takes less time, thus giving a real-life feel during interaction.
Some common real-world metaverse examples
Ready Player One
This movie shows what a fully interactive and immersive virtual world in the metaverse will look like.
Facebook metaverse (Meta horizons)
- The Facebook company was renamed to Meta by Mark Zuckerberg keeping in mind that metaverse would be the key to interactions, communication, and living in the future.
- In 2021, Facebook launched the virtual social platform ‘Horizon Worlds’ to allow users to socialize virtually using their own avatars in a digital world powered by virtual reality.
- Facebook also has ‘Horizon Venues’ a virtual event platform and ‘Horizon Workrooms’, a dedicated virtual office.
The Sandbox Game
It is a virtual Ethereum based blockchain metaverse game in which players can create, share, and monetize their own gaming experiences.
The Fortnite game
- This metaverse game offers a rich and diverse experience to the players.
- In this game, players can create their own virtual worlds and go on adventure trips.
- The players can also play with other players in the Fortnite community.
- The cross-play feature of the game let’s players access the game on various platforms like PlayStation, XBox, smartphone, and PC.
We live in a closely interconnected digital world. Both metaverse and AI are growing in popularity. Metaverse is slowly transforming into a reality. However, a lot of research is still a lot more to go before the metaverse becomes an integral aspect of our daily life, just like artificial intelligence has. Metaverse is full of potential just like other technologies. But, there is still a lot to be explored about what metaverse has in store for the future.