![]() ![]() 2022 Heinonen & Medberg 2018 Kraus et al. Governments are also taking metaverse seriously as countries need to embrace the digital economy in order to compete in the global digital and economic spheres.Īlthough in its infancy, metaverse research is flourishing in recent years (Ahmed et al. Recently live 3-D simulations have acquired the sophistication and accuracy to move beyond consumer leisure and into infrastructure, healthcare, education, and warfare. Thus far, most uses have been on gaming, which has helped build expertise on both sides, developers as well as users. ![]() Most big technology firms, such as Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet (formerly Google), and Meta (formerly Facebook), are all betting on their companies’ future in the metaverse (New York Times 2022). Gartner (2022) estimates that, by 2026, 25% of the world population will spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse for a variety of activities including work, shopping, education, social media, entertainment, and many others. The Wall Street Journal even believes that the GDP of the metaverse will eventually exceed that of the physical world. Many firms, including Citi, Goldman Sachs, KPMG, McKinsey & Company, and Morgan Stanley, variously estimate that metaverse will contribute between $2.5 trillion and $16 trillion to the global economy by 2030 (Ball 2022). The economic impact of the metaverse is enormous. It will be inclusive, providing anyone with access to the Internet with the opportunity to utilize its benefits (e.g., a billion people worldwide who are currently unbanked will finally be able to access the global economy via the metaverse). It will change people’s lifestyle (flexible living - shopping, entertainment, learning, and socializing) and work styles. Metaverse is expected to bring seismic changes that will disrupt people, places, and economies. It incorporates emerging technologies (augmented and virtual reality devices, connectivity, and processing), digital economy (business models, digital assets and identities, cryptocurrencies, etc.), and Web 3.0 (open, free, ethical, equitable, and a user-owned-and-operated internet). Metaverse is also described as “the next generation internet”, a blockchain-based internet that will be decentralized beyond the control of any single entity (regulators, banks, and tech platforms). Metaverse is persistent (continues to exist even if you close the app or logout), collaborative, and must be interoperable (among different metaverses with each other). Metaverse replicates the physical world in a digital context and enables similar interactions to what one would experience in the real-world. ![]() The term “metaverse,” which was coined by Neal Stephenson (1992) in his sci-fi novel “Snow Crash,” is currently described as a parallel 3D virtual world that has the immersive feel of the physical world (Ball 2022). Call for Papers for the Special Issue "Metaverse: Concept, Potential, Application, and Success in the Service Industry" ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |