Some of the most transformative technologies of our time, Web3, the Metaverse and AI, will change the world. They will create new opportunities, and raise new challenges to overcome as well. Whole classes of jobs will be affected, and new jobs will emerge. Some people will warn about their dangers, while other focus on the opportunities they offer. It is hard to predict exactly how things are going to pan out, but one thing is certain: Everything is about to change.
The Metaverse is not a technology, strictly speaking. It is a term generally used to describe the next iteration of the Internet, which is spatial and allows people to immerse in parallel, virtual realities. At its foundation are technologies like VR and AR. Somnium Space, for example, is a VR first platform, which also builds on Web3 technology for segregated and indisputable asset ownership, security and accessibility.
And just a few days ago we were offered a glimpse of how AI can look when the constraints of physical reality no longer apply when Oasis Meta Games presented its GPT powered virtual assistants in Somnium.
Today you can ask an AI powered chatbot to write a piece on the American Revolution, program a website, or suggest a script for a movie. You can instruct text to image platforms to render an artwork with flying monkeys in a dystopian city on Mars, create media assets for your next app, or produce an entire graphic novel. Granted, the results vary in quality. Sometimes chatbots are dead wrong about something. But more often than not the output of AI will amaze you. And we’re only witnessing the top of the iceberg. If an AI chatbot ‘understands’ the tasks given and can write a piece on the American Revolution when asked to do so, then it should be able to do virtually anything. The logical next step is to connect it to a host of systems through which it can manifest its actions. It sounds like the material of sci-fi movies, but the technology is available already today.
In a hyper connected world, with deep learning AI systems at every level and in every corner, AI will be omnipresent. Let’s imagine you just woke up in the year 2035. Cross-Reality Personal AI Assistants have made their entry and you ask your own AI assistant IRIS to prepare a coffee, a tad stronger than yesterday as you did not sleep so well and you have an important meeting coming up in Somnium Space. IRIS confirms, she knows exactly what a tad stronger means. She also tells you that you are running out of beans within a few days and asks whether she should order new beans. You are a bit annoyed she even asks.
‘What do you think IRIS?’
‘Normally I would order right away when you are out of beans, but you mentioned the other day you were considering an Espresso machine, for which you do not need any beans’.
IRIS always has a point. You actually never caught her saying ‘oh sorry’. Pretty annoying actually.
‘Hmmm I will wait with that, just order enough beans for the next month or two. But now that you mention it, can you list the best machines for me? Show me this evening’.
Did you hear IRIS sigh? That’s your imagination running wild.
‘I already did, have a look when you are ready’, IRIS replied.
Clever as hell.
‘See you at the office IRIS’
You put on your Somnium VR5 glasses and jump to your virtual office in Somnium Space. Moments later IRIS, a slender, female avatar, walks up to you.
‘Hey Marc, good to see you. Beans have been ordered’.
You have never caught IRIS forgetting anything either.
‘Brilliant IRIS, now can you create a new NFT post on Authencity for the new article in the Somnium Times? The one about this new ISG venue’
‘Yes of course! Anything else Marc?’
‘Yeah how are we doing on Authencity?’
IRIS is also your social media manager and immediately projects a number of charts.
‘It is going well Marc. We supported many newcomers who grow their profiles fast, which gave us a healthy return. We also received a considerable amount of AUTH from other users. The trend is very positive’.
You appreciate IRIS’ modest nature. She made all the decisions.
‘By the way can you contact Artific and ask him when he has time for a chat?’
Two seconds silence.
‘I just spoke with OMIRA, his assistant. He has time next Saturday at 11am. Shall I book that for you?’
You nod. IRIS understands gestures as well.
‘Come to the meeting with me IRIS, I want you to listen in so you are fully aligned on the plans for building our new Somnium Times Experience. I will probably ask you to help modeling the 3D assets for it.’
You walk through the door. Behind you, IRIS follows with graceful movements.
This is a tiny, little story about seamless parallel realities, and with an omnipresent personal AI assistant taking care of everyday tasks and not so everyday tasks. AI in a hyperconnected world, will radically change our lives. If today’s AI can generate ‘paintings’, tomorrow’s AI can build worlds, take care of your appointments, social media posts, shopping, you name it.
And you can meet your assistant in, let’s say, Somnium Space, and have some deep conversations about the meaning of life.
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