This requires no introduction. There have probably been more column inches on this piece of tech than any other.
And some readers might be querying why this is on the list of tech to watch out for in 2023. They may already be thinking ‘have you seen it?’, ‘it’s going nowhere fast’, ‘it’s going to be at least 5 years before the user experience will be good enough’.
But, it’s on the list, not so much because of Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for the metaverse, but because of the influence the idea of the metaverse is already having.
In the world of work, some of the things to look out for in 2023 and might be:
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An environment where you work remotely and increase productivity and experience better collaboration.
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Closer participation in training, team-building exercises, social events whilst located at opposite ends of the country.
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Visiting remote locations without leaving your office to look at how things are working, overseeing change efforts, working with a team to solve problems.
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Inducting new employees into an organisation where they meet key people at the same time as receiving a tour of the office. Also onboard training involving interactive game playing.
There’s no doubt that the metaverse will eventually help these things to happen. But we don’t have to wait that long. Prompted by the ideas coming from Meta, there are already plenty of tech organisations attempting to provide the above.
Indeed, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella has said on LinkedIn that ‘The metaverse is here, and it’s not only transforming how we see the world but how we participate in it – from the factory floor to the meeting room’.
The experience isn’t great, yet. However, another effect that the metaverse is having is a rapid improvement in the quality of the Augmented Reality Tech that provides the user’s immersive experience.
It’s getting there. AR and VR apps are already embedded in a wide range of areas e.g. gaming, entertainment and education.
Once the user experience gets good enough, the ability to mix the physical with the digital experience will start to transform industries. Digital twins and the ability to enact scenarios in a fully immersive environment will become of enormous value.
So, the Meta version of the Metaverse may still be a few years away, nonetheless look out for a Metaverse near to you. It may not be whole hog but some interesting things are headed our way from innovative tech companies that want to stay ahead of the curve. Test them out if you can.
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