The Metaverse and Meta’s future investments in Italy were at the center of the conversation that the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, had today with the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg.
“A joint effort between companies, the political world and civil society will be necessary to give life to the metaverse” explained a spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, underlining how during the meeting “our collaboration with the Italian government to enhance the country’s strengths in the technology and design sectors and identify future investments. We are pleased to have been able to discuss the cultural, social and economic opportunities that the metaverse will bring to Italy and we look forward to continuing this collaboration “.
What is and what happens in the Metaverse
It is a set of virtual spaces crossed by avatars, a step forward compared to virtual reality. It is considered the future of the Internet. But it is not something new. Metaverse is a term invented by Neal Stephenson in the book Snow Crash (1992) and is a space described by the author as a kind of virtual reality shared via the Internet, where one is represented in three dimensions through one’s Avatar. In this world, the difference between social classes is represented by the resolution of one’s avatar and the consequent possibility of accessing exclusive places.
The Metaverse is a virtual universe in which to find most of the daily activities, and much more: meetings, lunches, workouts, films, concerts, games, all declined in a 3D version and within everyone’s reach with a click and a series of tools. fundamental to fully live this immersive experience.
Specifically in the Metaverse you can meet with friends, go surfing or kayaking, attend a concert, explore unknown landscapes, without leaving home.
What the Metaverse is made of
The Metaverse develops in the digital world, its matter is composed of data and information, in close correlation with the universe of the objective, its structure is space-time, the same as the physical universe. It is a structure made up of length, width, depth and time: cyberspace, essentially a universe created and powered by global communication networks.
How to log in
Zuckerberg spoke about the Metaverse project during the Facebook Connect 2021 convention, presenting Horizon Home as a sort of gateway. This is the new home of the Oculus virtual reality platform that allows the customization of this space within which you can invite the avatars of your friends. So it’s a private space.
Invest in this reality
If the Metaverse will be the new internet who builds it, and how they do it, is important for the future of the economy and society as a whole. Facebook wants to play a leading role in building the Metaverse by investing heavily in virtual reality. The idea of a centralized virtual world, a place parallel to the physical world, has become a mainstream concept this year, but it must be said that millions of people have long spent hours a day in virtual social spaces like Roblox and Fortnite.
Interest in purely digital ownership and technology that advocates believe will ensure the safety of persistent virtual experiences has increased dramatically, with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies. Virtual productivity platforms are also growing, with Facebook and Microsoft announcing new ways to collaborate online. Nike also appears to be preparing to sell virtual sneakers. Hybrid offices, video-based education, and online social communities are just some of the ways in which most of our lives, for better or for worse, are spent in digital spaces.
Not just Facebook and Meta
It would be a serious mistake of myopia to think that there is only Zuckerberg on the Metaverse project. Tencent, the Chinese social media and gaming giant, is investing heavily in the Metaverse and experts say the virtual world could turn into a battle between Meta and Tencent. The South China Morning Post reported that the Chinese company has registered many Metaverse-related trademarks for its QQ social site this year. Roblox, the video game platform, went public this year and in November announced plans for a Metaverse built around its players.
And yet there are brands of all kinds that are trying to seize the opportunity to enter the Metaverse. For example, sportswear giant Nike is collaborating with Roblox to create a virtual world called Nikeland.
Clothing is not the only commodity that can find its place in the Metaverse. Appliance manufacturer Dyson, known for its vacuum cleaners, has made the Dyson Demo VR which allows you to use simulation and visualization technology so you can test its hair dryers, straighteners and hair straighteners at home.