Climb aboard your personal time travel device and set it to 1980. How would you describe the internet to your average Joe? Remember, the concept of a website was over a decade off coming to fruition.
Despite the fact that the livelihoods of billions of people rely on the internet today, explaining what it actually is, even in 2022, is a difficult task. Without experiencing the internet, it is an abstract concept impossible to comprehend – which is why the Metaverse is as equally hard to grasp.
Nobody knows what it is, what it does, or how it will play a role in our daily lives, but from the invention of the internet, it is reasonable to infer that the Metaverse may be the future. It has the potential to affect the way that we interact with people, places, and experiences on a regular basis, and while many are hesitant by the notion of a completely virtual world, this is likely a misconception of what the Metaverse is. The Metaverse will combine technology and reality to create new immersive experiences.
Over the past couple of years, the emerging technologies such as Artificial and Virtual Reality, Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence have proven to hold immense power. They are likely the founding technologies of the Metaverse from which more technology will arise. In many ways, the Metaverse is already here. When we talk with chatbots for customer support, use navigation apps, or accept Netflix’s recommended content, we are interacting with artificial intelligence.
In one of HdK’s ‘Metaverse Roundtable’ discussions, the sentiment and activity towards technologies of the Metaverse was equated to the mid-nineteenth century California Gold Rush. While many people and companies are currently rushing to grab a stake in the Metaverse claim, only few are emerging victorious. However, much like how the Gold Rush played a critical role in the industrial and agricultural development of California, this foundational period of the Metaverse is likely to do the same; it will pave the path for the future.
So what do you think? In what ways is the Metaverse already here, and where is it headed?
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A new frontier: the arts in the Metaverse
Posted on“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ” - Alvin Toffler
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Return to the Metaverse
Posted onResources for the Metaverse
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Metaverse update: How are arts and cultural organisations using the technology?
30 March 2023, 10:30 am UK timeAt the Arts Marketing Association (AMA) Conference in July 2022, HdK led a talk on ‘A Voyage into the Metaverse — how is the arts and cultural sector preparing for the future?’. In this session we revisited the topic, looking at what’s been happening in the space over the last nine months, and exploring how arts and cultural organisations are using the technology in 2023.