The Metaverse & Holodecks

[Yuli Ban]

Corporate Newspeak Version:
The Metaverse is a paradigm-shifting, immersive experiential platform at the bleeding edge of the phygital realm, revolutionizing how we interface with the datasphere. This transformative mixed-reality matrix seamlessly converges meatspace and cyberspace, empowering frictionless hyperconnectivity, interactive synergy, and collaborative co-creation. The Metaverse holistically integrates best-of-breed AR/VR/XR solutions to deliver a game-changing, omni-channel engagement ecosystem. Leveraging blockchain-enabled decentralization and AI-powered procedural world-building, it's Web 3.0 on steroids - the next frontier of human-computer symbiosis. The Metaverse isn't just a technological tour de force, it's the apotheosis of digital transformation.

Actual Description:
The Metaverse is a network of interconnected virtual worlds, forming a 3D extension to the existing internet. Similar to MMOs, VRChat, and Second Life. It encompasses a spectrum of spaces, from vast social hubs where users congregate for events and interactions, to more forum-like environments for specific communities, all the way down to personalized user-generated worlds. Generally, the metaverse requires generative AI to reach its full potential so that these worlds can be created and customized with ease. One way to think of it is sort of like a "virtual multiverse" where websites can have 3D interactive spaces and going from each verse is just another way of navigating through the internet. It's not really a replacement for the internet, just an extension of it given much greater data storage and data streaming capabilities.


The Metaverse is completely fine as a concept, but the application of it was premature, and because the technology wasn't there when it was first pushed heavily (back in 2021), it became tied up heavily in the Silicon Valley techbro grifter scene desperately looking for the "Next Big Thing" to grift. I unironically think Zuckerberg really does have an idea of what the Metaverse is supposed to be, hence his push into AI lately. But the pseuds following his lead, the investor class desperate to look trendy and on top of the latest hype, led the very term itself to ruin and now it's just as infamous as NFTs, cryptocurrency, internet of things, and arguably generative AI.

But if the tech catches up and we can get proper holodeck-tier genAI systems rolled out, then maybe the Metaverse will catch a second wind. What the Metaverse needs to work is the ability to basically be able to create and edit worlds, characters, avatars, and NPCs on the fly, as well as have an intuitive way of working. And while cartoony and anime avatars are obviously a good idea, they absolutely cannot be the standard— most prospective users of a "Facebook Metaverse Hub" are not weeaboos or types that can even take talking to a cartoon character seriously. I'm sure if you can create multiple avatars, you can get around that.
Also, any idea of this 3D space being the ONLY way to interact with old social media sites is godawful, and I fully expect some company to try to run with that by claiming that "text-based internet is dead" or some such rubbish. The reason Web 2.0 stuck around so long, besides the asymptote of data streaming we reached, is because text and images are actually extremely intuitive for such an interface. 2D internet needs to remain the standard, with 3D as the outgrowth.
No one wants to navigate through a virtually physical hallway just to look at photos and memories. No one wants to physically pick up a phone in the metaverse just to text or call someone. If you think they do, you're wrong. I know it may be your opinion, but your opinion is just wrong. It'll only ever take off by brute forcing the Web 2.0 to die.
I only bring that up to stress that the Metaverse idea, outside of some long-term transhumanist ordeal, works best as an extension of the web as it is.

"Navigating Wikipedia in 3D like a museum" has a certain niche charm, but not if it's just to read Wikipedia articles. A Wikipedia metaverse hub where you can explore history or science articles in some sort of virtual form, like an article about Verdun in WWI that has a portal to WWI Verdun, or an article about exotic stars that has a portal that shows simulations of star types, would be neat. "Just use the Metaverse to browse Wikipedia at all" is dumb bad baby dumb bad bad.

If everyone can get on the same page, though? Yeah, in that case, we'd have something similar to Holodecks. And I do think some level of generative AI is absolutely necessary (honestly, I think it's fully necessary end to end)
And also with that said, I'd also create and host a Metaverse hub that was just my childhood, except now I get to go through it as an adult (with my waifus)

[firestar464]

IDK I feel that Zuck's way of marketing gave the "metaverse" some sort of very juvenile vibe that is hard to take seriously. They need to call it something that can be taken seriously; maybe something more bland but better-vibing like "virtual environment."