How generative AI will power the metaverse

With the recent advancements in generative AI, organisations will see more personalised and dynamic experiences within the metaverse.

Kim Jerbo, creative director, ANZ, Media.Monks told Digital Nation said that these advancements from generative AI will be based on user preferences, behaviour, inputs and prompts.

He said, “AI can already be used to develop games and applications, and the next step is to create experiences that change in real-time. Users will be able to generate and refine their own mini-games or productivity tools by simply expressing their preferences.

“This ability to create and share personal experiences will not be limited to entertainment but will extend to utility applications and digital tools as well.”

With AI powering the metaverse, Jerbo said users will have more control over the content and experiences they have, leading to a more personalised and engaging experience overall.

Jerbo highlights other technology that will be crucial in powering the metaverse.

“Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a crucial component in ensuring accessibility and widespread use of the metaverse. With NLP, computers are able to understand and produce human language, allowing users to interact with the metaverse in a seamless and user-friendly manner,” he explained.

Currently, NLP has been trained primarily in the major world languages, Jerbo said.

“However, for the metaverse to reach its full potential, it is important to make sure that people from all over the world have access to the platform in their native language. This will ensure that more people are able to participate and benefit from the metaverse.

“Expanding NLP to support a wider range of languages is a crucial step towards making the metaverse accessible and inclusive for all. By enabling users to interact with the metaverse in their preferred language, NLP will play a key role in driving the growth and success of the metaverse,” he said.

When it comes to the ethical implications of embedding AI into the metaverse, Jerbo said AI is only as good as the database and adjustments put into it.

“What worries me are the potential bias and discrimination that could take place when using AI,” he explained.

“Using people's likenesses (and intellectual property) is already an issue with AI, this issue is likely to persist in the metaverse as well. If a user doesn't want to pay for a game, application, or similar product, what's stopping them from generating a similar version? Their version would be even more to their preference, since they would have full control over it.”

AI technology will also empower other aspects of the metaverse, such as non-playable characters or NPCs.

“I'm excited to see the progress of NPCs in metaverse experiences. With the power of AI, we can now see the potential for life-like interactions between you as a user and NPC’s. In the past, we’ve seen games and experiences where your actions affect NPC’s behaviour (to a certain and fairly pre-scripted extent), but with AI the relationship can become more real, more human,” he ended.