The term metaverse has been one of the most trending buzzwords on the internet in the last couple of months. But what is the metaverse, and does it really need AI to work out? You will have the perfect answer to this question by the end of this article. We shall discuss the basics of the metaverse and some of the core AI capabilities needed to make the metaverse a reality.
Let’s dive in!
What is the Metaverse?
There is no standard definition for the term metaverse. Still, you could look at the metaverse as the next generation of the internet that will enable social interactions in 3D virtual worlds. Currently, we are only able to interact in 2D, that is through chats, calls, video streaming, etc.
In the metaverse, these interactions will be in 3D, where you clearly see the person (or their Avatar) you’re interacting with to be in the same space with you. This will be possible thanks to AR and VR gadgets that many big companies, including Meta, Snap, Apple, and many more, are building.
So, how does AI come in?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a common denominator in almost every industry. According to a study by McKinsey, over 50% of people surveyed said the companies they own or work for using AI in at least one business application. With the metaverse, AI will be very crucial in the following ways;
Image credit: Unity 2 Games
1. Creating more accurate Avatars
Like we shared before, humans will be represented by Avatars in all the interactions in the metaverse. This calls for creating Avatars that look almost similar to the person they represent. To make this possible, AI engines have to scan images or 3D scans of individuals to generate more realistic avatars.
These avatars should also be dynamic, with the ability to change facial expressions and body movements based on the interaction they are involved in. Companies providing AI services will play a massive role in making this possible.
2. Natural language processing will be crucial in the metaverse
If we are to have the best experience in the metaverse, the digital objects we shall be interacting with should have the ability to understand natural languages such as English, Chinese, Japanese, etc. It will require integrating sophisticated AI engines into these digital objects to make this possible.
3. Creating inclusive interfaces
Interacting in the metaverse should be for everyone, including people with disabilities and the less techy individuals. AI for accessibility will play a crucial role in making this a possibility. Some of the essential AI for accessibility capabilities include; image recognition, text/image to speech for people who can’t see, and brain-computer interfaces.
Final thoughts
Several other AI-based technologies have to be integrated into the metaverse to make our experiences better. The work ahead of us is to create the necessary hardware and software to incorporate these technologies and make them a reality in the metaverse.
