Born from the contraction of “Meta” and “Universe”, the Metaverse is a word that has been widely talked about these last months. If for the moment its applications are limited, the future prospects of the technology are real.
The Metaverse: a more or less recent notoriety
If the notoriety of the Metaverse is quite recent, the origin of the word does not date from yesterday. The term was indeed invented by the American writer of science fiction and uchrony Neal Stephenson. The latter is the first to describe it in his novel: “The Virtual Samurai” released in 1992 (“Snow Crash” in its original version). He then presents the Metaverse as a virtual world in 3D where individuals, through avatars, interact with each other but also with characters generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The term Metaverse is nowadays more used to describe a future version of the Internet where virtual spaces would be accessible by 3D interaction. Unlike a game, this new virtual world would evolve continuously, including when users disconnect. In their absence, other people would continue to evolve and the world would change from day to day.
The fields of application of the Metaverse
Using augmented reality technology to superimpose the virtual world on real life, the Metaverse could be a game changer in many fields The creation of immersive 3D spaces, innovative videoconferencing and distance learning, new generation events, 3D commerce, avatarization… In entertainment too, changes could occur. Virtual concerts would become the norm. The public would then move at their convenience to get closer to the artist. In the same way, the tourist places could propose ultra realistic virtual visits. The visitors could then move in a fictitious environment with the help of glasses and controllers.
Perspectives of the Metaverse: and tomorrow?
Are we currently close to a true Metaverse? That is the question. At the time of writing, the obstacles to the advent of the technology are still numerous. Among them are the material limitations of a persistent digital environment, the problem of energy consumption or that of personal data. Other dangers are also pointed out, such as the fact that technology can serve as an “emotional refuge” and create a certain dependency.
However, it is possible that the development of the Metaverse will take place in a natural way. Indeed, in the future, Internet users are likely to spend even more time online and thus associate their identity more with their digital life. In any case, the Silicon Valley giants believe in its potential and are making huge investments in this area. The road is still long and will probably be full of pitfalls. Nevertheless, the subject deserves to be followed closely.