History and challenges of the metaverse and support from AI

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History of the Metaverse

In the Summer 2003 issue of KOTABA’s special feature Does the Metaverse Dream of Bruce Lee?

Starting from the question of what we are looking for in the metaverse (virtual space), the article describes the excessive physicality in virtual space in films such as The Matrix and Everything Everywhere All at Once, as well as Bruce Lee’s physicality in the virtual space of film.

The history of the metaverse described in the article is that of 1981, when mathematician and science fiction writer Verner Buijnge, true manes, launched the concept of virtual space in

Furthermore, metaverse emerged as a term for virtual space on the Internet in Neil Stephenson’s Snow Crash in 1992.

As an implementation, Electronic Arts’ Ultima Online from 1992 became popular as an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game),

Furthermore, the film Matrix was released in 1999.

In 2003, Linkeden Lab released Second Life, where users used avatars and the virtual currency Rindle, redeemable for real money, was circulated and used mainly for bromotion.

This Second Life had the following challenges

The limitations of the internet connection and PC specifications at the time meant that the environment was slow and prone to lag, preventing users from operating smoothly.
Limited graphics quality and intuitive operation, making it difficult for beginners to use.
The spread of social media such as Facebook and Twitter has made it easier for people to connect with others in both the real and virtual worlds, and users have become less interested.
With the increasing popularity of smartphones and mobile apps, PC-dependent metaverse platforms are perceived as relatively less convenient
User-driven content generation systems, while offering a high degree of freedom, made it difficult to maintain high quality content, and there were challenges in managing trolling and spam content.
User-generated content and business models were diverse but required a huge amount of time and effort to maintain and keep them attractive, and management costs became a burden on the operator, making it difficult to continue to meet user expectations.
The immaturity of virtual currencies at the time and legal issues regarding the handling of intellectual property rights held them back, making it difficult to establish a sustainable ecosystem
Some companies used it for promotion and as a business hub, but the return on investment was low

Due to these challenges, the number of users did not increase and declined.

In contrast, games such as the VR-enabled virtual platform VRChat by VRChat Inc. in 2013, the online game Fortnite by Epic Game in 2017, social VR Cluster by Cluster, and Atsumare Animal games have been developed, such as Atsumare Animal Forest by Nintendo in 2020. In addition, in 2021, the then FaceBook company changed its name to Meta and declared that it would shift its main focus to building virtual spaces.

In recent years, there have been a number of new developments, such as Microsoft Mesh and Meta’s Horizon Workrooms for use in business and education, and gaming platforms such as Fortnite and Roblox to build new relationships with customers through immersive experiences, ‘Web 3 and Web 3.0 – The Distributed Web and the Web that Makes Sense’, and the introduction of Web3 technologies to meet the need for a non-replicable and limited number of digital assets to own something in the metaverse space. The following are some of the approaches taken.

Why are people not settling in the Metaverse?

Although various metaverses have been created by these diverse bloatforms, many metaverses have seen a decline in visitors after their creation and become defunct places.

The following factors have been pointed out as the main reasons why people do not stick around in metaverses:

1. lack of clarity of value: many users do not understand how the metaverse can directly benefit their lives and work. Few situations in which they solve real-world problems or improve everyday convenience, and limited use outside of entertainment and socialising situations, hinder their uptake.

2. accessibility and technical barriers: access to the metaverse often requires a VR device or a high-performance PC, which is a major barrier for the average user. In particular, practical constraints such as physical fatigue from wearing VR devices, the size of the space and the communication environment affect the frequency of use.

3. lack of community and content maturity: where there is little meaningful interaction and activity within the metaverse, users’ motivation to actively participate is reduced. If diverse content and valuable communities do not mature, new users are likely to leave quickly. This makes it easier for new users to feel isolated because they cannot interact with the active communities that already exist.

4. immaturity of the user experience: many users find the interface and usability of many current metaverse platforms complex and difficult to use. In particular, the visuals and interactions are not close to reality in many areas, and the immersive experience is less immersive than in traditional games and social media.

5. privacy and security concerns: privacy concerns increase when activities in the metaverse are tracked in real time. Many users are concerned about how their personal information is managed and find it difficult to feel safe unless their privacy is ensured.

6. lack of practicality in business and the workplace: although metaverse could be used for workplace meetings and remote working, in many cases it is not highly practical. To be a realistic alternative in business, they need to be efficient and intuitive, and the lack of clear advantages over traditional videoconferencing makes it difficult for business use to progress.

Taken together, the key is to evolve the metaverse from ‘just a virtual space’ to ‘an environment that provides real value’.

The means by which the metaverse can evolve from ‘mere virtual space’ to ‘an environment that provides real value’.

In order to evolve the metaverse into an ‘environment that provides actual value’, it is important to analyse user needs and behaviour patterns and build experiences and services based on these. The following describes specific approaches to this end.

1. understanding user behaviour patterns and needs through data analysis

Behavioural data collection: anonymously collect users’ movement patterns, time spent in the metaverse, interaction history, etc. to understand which areas and experiences they are interested in.
Emotional analysis: perform emotional analysis of chat and voice data to identify experiences that are likely to generate positive or negative reactions. This will help to find out which elements users are particularly satisfied with and which areas need improvement.
Needs segmentation: categorise needs by target group based on data such as user age, occupation and purpose of use. For example, users who focus on work efficiency and users who aim to entertain and socialise design their experiences differently, so the most suitable experience is provided for each.

2. providing personalised experiences tailored to the user

Individual feedback function: utilises AI to suggest personalised experiences based on each user’s interests and past behaviour. For example, add a function to direct users to relevant events or communities based on their hobbies and interests.
Real-time adaptive experiences: incorporate mechanisms that automatically change the metaverse experience according to the user’s current needs and emotions. For example, if the system detects that the user is tired, it will suggest relaxing spaces and guides.

3. integration of activities in the metaverse with real life

Strengthen links with reality: create mechanisms to ensure that activities in the metaverse are directly linked to achievements in the real world. For example, organise educational programmes that enable users to acquire skills and qualifications, and ‘virtual job fairs’ that provide career advice and job search assistance, providing experiences that connect to real-life career and educational opportunities.
link shopping and rewards: introduce a mechanism whereby items that users purchase in the Metaverse are also reflected in reality (e.g. discounts and rewards in real shops), creating a seamless sense of value between virtual and real life.

4. enhancement of communities and events in which users can be proactively involved

User-participatory events: develop a system that allows users to organise events and workshops on their own initiative, which will make it easier for them to interact with each other and create a sense of community togetherness, leading to long-term retention.
Real-time feedback and rewards: users who participate in events and activities will be motivated by visualising their achievements and contributions in real-time and rewarding them with rewards (badges, points, etc.). Reinforce a sense of ‘being part of the community’ through regular events and encourage return visits.

5. digital identity development

Customising digital identity: build a digital identity that grows in response to the user’s actions and experiences. For example, provide a mechanism for users to feel growth and change within the metaverse, such as badges that increase according to activity history and events attended.
Privacy and secure data management: to ensure that users feel safe and secure, digital identities and personal data will be securely managed, and they will also be authorised to manage their own data. This makes it easier to gain the trust of privacy-sensitive users.

6. developing use cases to help solve real-life problems

Telemedicine and rehabilitation: a metaverse space where doctors and patients can communicate remotely and in real time, for use in the medical field. It will also incorporate exercise programmes to support rehabilitation, and realise a system that allows patients to continue treatment at home.
Disaster response simulations: in cooperation with local authorities and companies, provide simulations to train disaster response and prevention education programmes to create a place where users can learn about disaster prevention and safety measures in an experiential way, which will help them respond to risks in real life.

7. user support through interaction with AI

Customer support by virtual assistants: create an environment where AI assistants can always assist users in the metaverse. For example, they can provide guidance on how to operate within the metaverse, guide functions to introduce content of interest, and learning support to enable users to enjoy the experience comfortably.
Prediction of behaviour and recommendations by AI: AI recommends events and areas that may be of interest in real-time based on the user’s past behaviour, so that the user can immediately access experiences of interest without having to search for them.

AI-based support

In order to effectively provide user assistance through interaction with AI, it is important to incorporate functions that enable AI to provide more friendly and useful assistance according to user needs and usage scenarios. Specifically, the following support methods can be considered.

1. personalised guidance according to individual needs

Real-time support: if a user gets lost in the metaverse or does not know how to operate the system, an AI assistant can provide real-time support. For example, they can guide the user through the menu operation procedures, navigate to the destination, or even introduce the available content and areas.
Content recommendations: the AI makes individual recommendations based on the user’s interests and past behaviour data. For example, users who have attended art events in the past can be recommended similar events or art-related spaces, making it easier for them to access experiences that are likely to interest them.
Interactive tour guides: for users who are new to the area or visiting an area for the first time, AI provides a virtual tour. The guide will provide an overview of each spot or facility while explaining it, making it easier for users to familiarise themselves with the new space.

2. behaviour prediction and proactive support by AI

Next move suggestion based on behaviour prediction: the system analyses the user’s past behaviour patterns and time of day, and automatically suggests the next activity or event that might be of interest. For example, if a user has frequently participated in a particular community in the past, new events and activities related to that community can be notified.
Automatic management of schedules and reminders: the AI will automatically manage reminders for events and meetings booked within the metaverse and provide last-minute notifications. It also automatically guides users to the link at the start of the event they are scheduled to attend, helping to ensure a smooth and scheduled experience.

3. specialisation of AI assistants according to usage scenarios

Use of purpose-specific assistants: provide specialised AI assistants according to the purpose of the user’s activity, such as work, learning, entertainment, shopping, etc. For example, a business assistant that assists in taking minutes and presenting documents when used for business meetings, or an educational assistant that recommends relevant teaching and learning resources when used for learning, are useful functions that can be used depending on the situation.
Support from AI with expertise: if you need assistance in a specific area, an AI assistant with expertise is available to help you. For example, for users learning 3D design or programming in the metaverse, a dedicated AI can provide technical advice and tutorials, or other specialised learning support.

4. conversational interfaces through natural language processing

Conversational interfaces: provide an interface that can guide the user through the metaverse in a natural dialogue through text or voice. When a user expresses a question or request in words, the AI responds appropriately and assists with guidance and operations in response to the request.
Response utilising emotional analysis: analyses the user’s emotions from their words and actions and adjusts the response. For example, if the user says they are a little tired, the response will be tailored to the user’s mood, such as introducing a relaxing area or light entertainment content.

5. AI coaching to support learning and growth

Support for skill acquisition: the AI assistant helps the user improve their skills and provides learning plans and assignments while monitoring their level of mastery. For example, if a user is practising a presentation, the AI can provide feedback on areas for improvement and record the progress of the practice to support the user in realising growth.
Games and challenge-based learning: missions and quizzes that can be progressed in the form of games are prepared to provide a learning experience that users can enjoy while learning. For example, a treasure hunt game using maps and information in the metaverse, or a quiz to learn career-related knowledge, will deepen knowledge while attracting user interest.

6. building a feedback loop for the metaverse experience

Evaluation and improvement of the experience: feedback is collected on events and activities experienced by users, and the AI uses this as a basis for suggesting improvements to the experience. For example, if there is feedback that the content of an event was a little difficult, improvements can be made to make the experience more enjoyable for the user, such as adding easier-to-understand explanations or adjusting the difficulty level of the experience next time.
Visualisation of action logs and feedback by AI: Visualise what and how much users enjoyed the experience so that it can be used for the next activity. This will enable users to check their progress and be aware of areas for improvement for the next experience.

7. strengthening digital identity and growth support

Feedback to encourage personal growth: the AI looks at the user’s activity history and performance and provides feedback on growth points. For example, if a user learns a new skill or reaches a specific goal, the AI celebrates the achievement, making it easier for the user to feel a sense of personal growth.
Goal setting and tracking: in order to achieve goals set by the user (e.g. career progression within the metaverse, skill development, etc.), the AI will manage progress and help the user to achieve their goals. This enables users to utilise the metaverse with a specific sense of purpose.

By utilising such AI support, users find their activities in the metaverse more efficient and valuable, which encourages their daily use. It is also expected that the AI will stay with the user and provide a sense of growth and achievement, leading to long-term retention.