The Role of AI and Data Science in the Metaverse

The metaverse is a compilation of virtual, augmented, and physical realities. Although “metaverse” terminology has been around for some time, it remains an emerging technology even as it becomes more of an everyday topic. Very soon, the metaverse will be a place where you can work, learn, shop, be entertained, and interact with others in ways that were never before possible. Most metaverse experiences will not be likely without machine learning (ML) which allows software applications to become more accurate at predicting outcomes without being explicitly programmed to do so. AI and data science will be at the forefront of converging this combination of technology and will help revolutionize how people interact across the globe. It will lead to innovations, revenue streams, and deeper connections.

Metaverse vs. Multiverse

Both the metaverse and multiverse are virtual spaces where people can interact with digital objects and one another in 3D environments. However, differences exist between the two.  A metaverse is a holistic common shared place where all digital actions can occur, and you can enjoy various activities with others. In contrast, the multiverse is a pool of multiple virtual worlds. Metaverse activities might include playing video games, buying virtual real estate, shopping for real and virtual products, attending lectures or concerts, conducting 3D virtual video conferences, etc.  On the other hand, a multiverse platform is more limited in that users can only use and interact within a single digital space for one specific purpose that the venue was designed for, for example, to play a particular game or exercise.

As mentioned previously, the metaverse is not a new concept, but then, again, it is not fully realized at this point. The metaverse is still evolving and looking toward a future state with astounding possibilities, and some even call this “the new internet.” Instead, we currently have multiple multiverses, each having its own attributes and integrated functionalities at different development levels. For example, Facebook already has one of the most known social media platforms and is moving toward creating a platform based on virtual and augmented reality. LinkedIn would be another example. Many multiverse platforms will converge as we move forward, bringing us closer to a “new internet.” This junction is where AI and data science will be critical in taking us to a new stage in our journey.

The role of AI and data science in shaping the metaverse

The most important thing to remember about AI and data science is their power to parse tremendous volumes of data in real-time to provide meaningful insights.  In addition, if executed properly, accurate interpretations will drive immediate action, interactions, responses, and low-touch automated processing. It will also include, among other things, event correlation, anomaly detection, and causality determination, thus helping to integrate and connect various platforms.

The metaverse virtual reality must reflect physical reality more or less—the better connection to physical reality, the more realistic experience for the user. AI is the only tool that can accomplish this, and it would be impossible to achieve at scale by human means.

There are endless uses for AI and data science in the realm of the metaverse. Here are but a few:

1. 3D images

2. Animation

3. Speech

a. Natural Language Processing (NLP), including real-time sentiment analysis, emotional analysis, and text classification.

b. Translation

4. Design and artwork

5. Blockchain

a. Smart contracts

b. Decentralized ledgers

c. Various transactions, including cryptocurrency

Challenges to mainstreaming the metaverse

Of course, a broad acceptance of the metaverse will depend on a positive user experience. Accessing the metaverse or any multiverse user requires a bulky headset, controllers, and high-speed connections, which can be somewhat costly. But every day, the movement to the metaverse requires more features and content that will create more and more demand, just as smartphones did just a little over a decade ago. Another challenge is that initially, users may need to become a bit more tech-savvy. However, with emerging AI functionality, one can expect a world where it is simpler to join and experience the metaverse.

At this time, there are countless uses for AI and data science to shape the metaverse and transform the online experience. As the metaverse evolves, AI and data science will have even more uses. In the future, there will undoubtedly be uses that are not conceivable today.

If you are interested in learning more about the application of AI and data science in the metaverse, email us at intellect2@intellectdata.com..  Intellect Data, Inc. is a software solutions company incorporating data science and artificial intelligence into modern digital products with
Intellect2TM. IntellectDataTM develops and implements software, software components, and software as a service (SaaS) for enterprise, desktop, web, mobile, cloud, IoT, wearables, and AR/VR environments. Locate us on the web at www.intellectdata.com.

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