Q&A: Will we spend more time in the metaverse than in real life?

How do the experts believe the metaverse can replicate all the features of the real world? How can you even access the metaverse? Is it open to everyone? Is there a potential risk of life in the real world becoming unbearable as the metaverse continues to advance?

We get the answers from two specialised professors in digital transformation and innovation, Martin Butler, from the Vlerick Business School, and Peter Zemsky, from the INSEAD Business School.

Do you want to experience hell or purgatory?

We ventured into Italy’s National Museum of Cinema in Turin, where we explored virtual reality and engaged with visitors to uncover their understanding and experiences within the metaverse.

As we donned our VR headsets, we embarked on a unique journey, diving straight into the second part of the epic Dante Alighieri’s poem ‘The Divine Comedy.’

Our observations led us to a significant realisation – a substantial portion of the visitors were embracing a VR headset for the very first time. This newfound technology served as the primary reason for their relatively limited familiarity with the metaverse.

Surprisingly, in the current metaverse landscape, many individuals are immersing themselves in this digital universe without the aid of VR glasses. 

Those are teenagers traversing alternative realities without a VR headset in platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, showcasing that the metaverse is not exclusively reliant on VR equipment. At its core, it offers an alternative universe where users navigate through avatars, VR headsets or not.

This episode marks the culmination of our three-part series on the metaverse. If you are curious to learn more about the inhabitants of the metaverse and the possibilities it holds, be sure to check out our previous episodes.

In our forthcoming episodes of Euronews Tech Talks, we will transport you to Almendralejo, a town in the south of Spain, to delve into a paradigmatic case illustrating how deepfakes are reshaping our lives.