How AI and Metaverse are shaping the future?

What is the Metaverse and Why does it need AI?

Metaverse is a combination of two words, “Meta” which refers to virtual or transcendence, and verse, a short form for “Universe”. In other words, Metaverse is a virtual universe that uses various technologies to simulate real-world factors. Moreover, it uses technologies like Virtual reality, Augmented Reality, AI, etc. to build virtual space for users. Further, it integrates the physical components in the digital world for users to buy & sell solutions, create products, interact with people & places, etc. Hence, here are the basic levels in the Metaverse:

• Infrastructure: The metaverse builds its infrastructure and environment using data centers, CPUs, GPUs, cloud computing, etc.
• Human Interface: It also encourages users to use the latest technologies to interact in the virtual world. For instance, mobile phones, smartwatches, smart glasses, and other wearable devices help improve the experience.
• Decentralization: Moreover, the Metaverse deals with huge data sets and needs a more decentralized solution. Hence, edge computing, blockchain, microservices, etc. offer their solutions to process and analyze data.
• Spatial Computing: Spatial computing helps introduce the digitalization of products, services, and solutions in the Metaverse. It also supports and optimizes interactions and activities within the Metaverse.
• Creator Economy: As the Metaverse gains popularity, it also is encouraging creators, developers, and providers to build better solutions that suit virtual requirements. 
• Experience: AI, VR, AR, XR, and other technologies build the functions within the Metaverse to provide a unique experience to its users.

Why does the Metaverse need AI?

AI aims to support various functions within the Metaverse. It also helps to simplify user access to various environments within the virtual world. Further, it generates the content and encourages humans to interact with other users and the virtual support. 

AI and the Metaverse represent the integrations of Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, etc. AI also increases horizons into the Metaverse by enabling users and businesses to create, purchase, and sell various products, services, and solutions. It would also encourage users to interact and collaborate with other users and businesses for more opportunities. 

AI also enables the Metaverse to deploy various functions by integrating the virtual world with NLP, computer vision, and neural interface. Hence, AI plays a pivotal role in the Metaverse that offers reliability and enhances the performances for a better experience.

Moreover, developing AI for the Metaverse includes translation systems for new AI models and virtual assistants. The Metaverse also requires AI to fully realize its potential and reliability in people’s lives. It also promises to provide life-like visuals, sounds, and experiences.

Predictions for AI and Metaverse for 2030

The Metaverse adopts AI and its algorithms, for instance, platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Whatsapp use AI to resolve issues. Moreover, AI plays a pivotal role to execute facial recognition, NLP, etc. Further, users leverage AI abilities for actionable decisions and develop a smarter virtual world. AI also displays its potential to process larger data volumes to offer insights. Hence, AI and Metaverse are on the verge of changing the virtual world as well as the digitally transforming businesses. 

Further, a report by Harvard University states that by 2030 AI technologies will affect eight areas of Human Activities. For instance, the emergence of AI technologies will be impacted by transportation, healthcare, home and service robots, education, entertainment, etc. 

The Metaverse would allow users to be whoever they want to be and create a digital persona. It may also use an integration of physical & behavioral biometrics, emotional recognition, sentiment analysis, data, etc. to offer customization within the virtual world. Further, Metaverse is still expanding its horizons and encouraging humans to use its services due to the current Pandemic. However, researchers predict that Meta may emerge as a dominant virtual space similar to Google, where it has a hold over most of the market share among search engines. 

According to Mark Zuckerberg, Co-Founder, and CEO of the Meta Platforms, it may take around five to ten years for the Metaverse and its key features to become mainstream. Although, aspects of the Metaverse are present in our lives today as seen with the increase in internet speed, VR Headsets, life-like & interactive games, etc. Hence, Metaverse is a possible reality that may bring in changes to lead the world through virtual spaces.

Challenges of AI in the Metaverse

The Metaverse and its concepts are still at an initial stage. Hence, there may be some challenges and bottlenecks while executing AI in the Metaverse:

• Firstly, the challenge that occurs is the ownership and copyright structure and who can profit from the content generated by AI.
• Moreover, with rising opportunities, AI in the Metaverse brings in concepts like deepfakes and user transparency. Therefore, users may not be sure if they are interacting with an AI or other users. Hence, it increases opportunities for fraudulent activities and deepfakes.
• It also introduces challenges like the legal and fair use of AI and ML technologies in the Metaverse.
• Further, the challenge of ethically training AI models and developing their algorithms rises. It also involves collecting consent from various users.
• Moreover, issues arise when AI or digital humans display bias in analyzing and processing data.

AI and Metaverse Applications

• Accurate Avatar Creation for Users:

Firstly, the AI and the Metaverse help create a user-centric environment that supports the quality of experience. Moreover, AI tools can analyze a user’s 2D image or 3D scans to develop a realistic simulation. It also analyses users’ behavior by processing their facial expressions, mannerisms, and other non-verbal queues. Hence, it helps make the Avatar more dynamic and provides users with a more realistic experience. Therefore companies like Ready Player Me are already developing Avatars for the Metaverse using AI.

• Digital Humans: 

Digital Humans refer to the 3D adaptation of chatbots within the Metaverse. These Digital Humans can also be known as NPCs which are non-player characters. Moreover, these NPCs interact with users and their actions in the virtual universe. Further, Digital Humans are built using AI tech and play a pivotal role in the virtual world. Hence, NPCs in games, automated assistance in VR, etc. help enhance the experiences of users and support various queries. 

• Multilingual Accessibility:

Language processing is another important manner in which AI helps the Metaverse. Moreover, AI helps analyze natural languages like English, convert them into a machine-comprehensive format, and process the results into the natural language. Hence, AI helps make the process simpler and faster for users to create an experience like a real conversation. Therefore, AI and its algorithms can be trained for various languages to interact with users globally in the Metaverse.