The Metaverse: Part 3

All things “i” for the next generation

I think one of the great powers of the metaverse will be the user experience (UX) - how the individual interacts with all aspects of the metaverse. This can be everything from hardware to logging in to movement to visuals - any and everything that contributes to and shapes experiences for the users. And the users are us - you, me, our neighbors. UX can be a very specific thing, tailored to individuals. There are examples the world over of amazingly designed user experiences, from museum shows to the future of retail to public spaces, and we are only at the early stages of conceptualizing and integrating UX design into the spaces humans will interact with in the future.    

And yet, this evolution to digital integration is not instant; there will be no flip of a switch when we all get strapped to rigs and live out a version (or infinite versions) of Ready Player One. It is something we are evolving with and integrating into our lives. Until the human race evolves into cyborgs, we still need our tangible environments with clean air, clean water, stable housing, recreational places, and other social and cultural environments to sustain us. 

In real life cities, leaders have to constantly work to sustain and improve living conditions, economic opportunities, transportation, and public spaces. The virtual world will also need such systems and governance structures to ensure equitable entry and equitable access to infrastructure, knowledge, decision-making, and opportunities. Right now, the majority of metaverse users are young, male gamers. It is expensive to access and requires enormous computing power. Narratives are biased in part due to the limited experiences of those creating them. Such biases and inequities in access permeate virtually all other aspects of life, so it comes as no surprise such divides are implicit in the metaverse.