The internet is changing, and with the introduction of the metaverse ideology we are moving to create networks of three-dimensional worlds that blur the lines between our physical and digital lives.
The science fiction novel “Snow Crash” written by Neal Stephenson in 1992, first coined the term “metaverse”, which envisioned a virtual reality-based evolution to the internet. In the novel, Stephenson depicts digital avatars of themselves exploring the online world, often as a way of escaping reality.
This ideology of virtual worlds and avatars is not new. This concept has existed in the gaming circles for some time, but today we are bringing this technology to the masses through various consumer applications. Consider using your avatar, or your “digital twin” to shopping for a new wardrobe, hunting for real estate, attending live events or taking a virtual safari in the jungle – all of this is possible, and the applications are endless.
Society today spends countless hours living on digital platforms. In the USA, consumption of social media, streaming and gaming equate to about 11 billion days per year of digital media consumption.
Today platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. allow us to view and share content in a two-dimensional manner. The metaverse will allow us to take this one step further and immerse ourselves into the internet. The metaverse is the next generation of the internet.
The internet will continue to evolve, and the metaverse will eventually instill itself as the new norm, but we are still at the early stages of this paradigm shift. The metaverse eco-system will have to address matters of scalability, privacy, and computing power to name a few.
The metaverse is a paradigm shift for the way we consume and utilize the internet. Our online experiences will become immersive, and some would argue a way of escaping a dystopian reality.
