The metaverse, things you need to know to get your business to the next digital level. (2022)

What is the metaverse, and where did it come from?

The metaverse is a vision of the future where our way of interacting, working, playing, and having fun is unlimited. Like other standard terms in the age of technology and automation, such as cyberspace or robot, the word metaverse has its origin in science fiction literature.

 Although various writers had already described immersive realities or virtual worlds in books such as Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, it was Neal Stephenson, in his 1992 novel Snow Crash, who first introduced the term metaverse as a digital environment behaved like a natural place for its users, where up to 60 million people could socialize, conduct business and have fun.

Ten years ago, Ondrejka founded and became the CTO of Linden Lab. This company created Second Life, a virtual world that practically became one of the first functional metaverses, with an economy and a currency. 

The metaverse is a space for entertainment and joy 

The NTFs Sandbox company reported revenues of more than 95 million euros from the sale of virtual properties in November 2021. There is no lack of money, labor or the laws of physics. Snoop Dog has already performed concerts and world-class companies such as Atari or Adidas already have stores within this world that seems to have no limits.

We have already seen a test of the adverse effects in Ready Player One, which taught us that we must beware of abusive uses and manipulation. Likewise, we must learn from the mistakes of social networks and the security problems that we all already know.

A new way of relating to each other through the metaverse

Social networks will cease to exist as we know them. With the creation of Meta by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook and all its companies will become part of the metaverse that seeks to unify the form of our social interactions. 

It has already invested heavily in virtual reality through its Oculus device, which is cheaper than its rivals since the cost to acquire one of these devices is around 300 dollars. 

He is also creating virtual reality apps for social gatherings and the workplace, including ones that allow you to interact with the real world. 

Another technology giant that has also shown interest in the metaverse is Microsoft. With the creation of Mesh, the company seeks to create new generation workspaces.

They aim to create work zones regardless of regions or schedules, real-time training, or consultations with experts. This approach looks at the way we will work in the future. 

The metaverse and the second industrial revolution

The industrial branch is also betting on the metaverse. The Nvidia company has created Omniverse, a set of tools that allows large-scale simulations.

This aroused the interest of BMW, who relied on this tool to reorganize one of its plants in Germany and optimize its manufacturing processes.

Likewise, many other companies have managed to carry out dangerous tests safely, which translates into cost reduction and excellent safety for their employees.

Today the conquest of space is centered on Mars. Imagine the lives and money that can be saved with the simulations of the metaverse.

Let us not be surprised that Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos make public their intentions to invest in this industry that seeks to change how humanity perceives reality.

What state is the metaverse in 2022?

Leisure, fashion, beauty, art, technology, and a new business model that promises to move billions but about which almost everything is still unknown. While you are reading these lines in the Metaverse, transactions for the sale of virtual land worth 500 million dollars are being closed.

There is also speculation about works of art authenticated thanks to blockchain technology, and there are avatars dressed from head to toe in all kinds of luxury clothes. In any case, this new parallel universe is still in the early development phase.

The industry works so that in addition to seeing and hearing, users, thanks to special suits, can also feel, because until now, this virtual world also still has limits, and the costs to acquire the necessary equipment are still very high for the average of people.

Another problem is that in order to have a metaverse as such, the efforts that we have tried to list in this short article need to be focused on a single effort, that of the community.

We can say that it is in the beta within its creation, but let's remember that one day, Blockbuster was offered to buy the beta of what is now Netflix, and they rejected it; we all know how that story ended.

You need to take the first step, digital transformation 

The anatomy of digital transformation has its roots in governance and technology leadership. From information services to microarchitecture to DevOps and automation practices, having a clear course of action and a set of tools is the first step in shifting business operations towards shorter time to market, virtualization, less manual and more automated processes, and a culture based on innovation.

While the tools form the “what,” vision and leadership form the “how” in digital transformation. PALO IT relies on the concept of servant leadership as the backbone of business culture. This creates an environment where teams are free to learn and more apt to apply long-term vision to daily work. This is more crucial than ever in a world where ‘work from home is becoming the new norm.

Technology is advancing at incredible speed, and it's time to grow your business with it. Experience tells us that the metaverse is the future for your company. It's time to take the first step, ask about our solutions at PALO IT. 

We invite you this July 21 to a live webinar on this exciting topic for more information.