How Ready Are We For The Metaverse?
Many have an opinion but nobody knows for sure what is coming.
By the way, predictions are not solid facts.
The numbers are changing daily. For now, Gartner, Inc. predicts that 30% of organizations will have online products and services ready for the metaverse before 2026. However, this largely depends on the advancement of virtual technologies, not to mention, their ability to simplify their current e-commerce operations.
Indeed it might be populated with giant corporations, but we see medium and small businesses cautiously adopting the tools for an easy transition to Metaverse. Worth mentioning is that most historical patterns are solid evidence that the adoption of new technology like the internet, mobile payments, and more, is widely dependent on small businesses because they play a monumental role in getting the masses onboarded.
We already have a taste of our future online lives. In a way, we are involved in the Metaverse without really knowing it. In 2021, when Meta announced its Presence Platform, people got a good idea of what Metaverse is. The new Platform is powered by a series of AI capabilities that allow users to build mixed reality experiences that blend virtual content with the physical world.
The aim is to create a more connected digital experience that allows users to move seamlessly from one place to another — spending time with people who may be physically distant — while maintaining their unique virtual identity and digital goods from one world to the next.
With Presence Platform, the goal is to unlock a wide range of mixed reality experiences that are guided by Meta Responsible Innovation Principles. This starts with being responsible stewards when it comes to collecting the information needed to deliver amazing mixed reality experiences that are safe and seamless. This is of great importance because Privacy should be a starting point for innovation — not an afterthought. That’s critical when it comes to products that live in our home, and connect us to other people, while they serve us as an entry-point to the metaverse.
The economy, as we know it, has shifted its ground pillars from material ownership to data and technology; also known as non-material ownership. So, more individuals who easily use blockchain technologies are transforming the balance of business orientation from centralized corporate reliance to decentralization. This detail is the essential facilitator for making Metaverse the new incubator for Creator Economy.
In other words, any content creator, out there, can become a multi-millionaire only by having a stable high-speed wifi connection and a bunch of smart contracts.
The future for content creators looks bright and fruitful for those willing to take the ride. The competition for freelance writers is growing rapidly, but the content writing industry is growing at high speed. Content creators are in high demand and will continue to increase as we witness LinkedIn job listings, as well.
- Related article: What will the metaverse bring — and when?
In the metaverse, most creators will have the opportunity to interact with fans and other audience members in new online ways. Creators will create virtual avatars, capable to interact in real-time with fans in open online public spaces, giving interaction a whole new dimension.
In this online world, the metaverse will also enable creators to connect and interact with more diverse audiences. AI-powered tools will translate content with immaculate precision, making cultural obstacles a thing of the past. In many ways, this is already happening. For example, some say the metaverse already wins more creators and users' acceptance on gaming platforms like Roblox.
A wide range of technology companies — from big players like Microsoft and Google to smaller ones like Niantic and Emblematic — are already building experiences and products for the Metaverse. Early versions of it already exist in the virtual worlds of games like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite. It incorporates technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) that, while still young, have been in use for some time.
In other words, it doesn't matter if we are ready or not, the Metaverse is happening now and won’t stop spinning around us.
