With companies like tech giants meta Audiences have so far been honored by the closure of the Metaverse division in favor of its efforts in artificial intelligence (AI), despite claims that the Metaverse will remain a flagship product going forward. We believe that the virtual ecosystem has been usurped from the Internet’s throne. AI gold rush.

The huge profit potential of AI has attracted many investors and adopters in the first half of this year. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is record It reached 100 million active users in January, making it the fastest growing application user base in history. Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence market is projected to grow at an annual growth rate of 37.3% from 2023 to 2030, worth more than $1.5 trillion. forbes.

“The AI ​​debate has been pushed into the mainstream through two highly accessible tools, ChatGPT and Midjourney,” said Olivier Moynejon, Chief Commercial Officer of Exclusible. Kyo Ilbo. “We have accelerated adoption and testing, allowing millions of people to experiment with words and visuals. It was very easy to understand being layered.”

Despite the estimated billions of dollars that have been poured into the industry over the past five years, this growing focus on AI has relegated the metaverse from an all-time hot topic to a benchwarmer.

A tale of two technologies

Between AI and the Metaverse, there is one clear winner that has captured the appeal of the fashion crowd. The visually compelling element of artificial intelligence has resonated with fashion-conscious audiences, captured the zeitgeist, and spawned a new breed of creators harnessing the tools to harness their creativity.

AI fashion design account, etc. @ai_clothingdaily, rose to fame as a result of its surreal works. These artists are inundated with fans asking how they can buy their own AI-generated works, even though they are purely imaginary and not made for actual use. often

AI fashion design is heavily used, but the same cannot be said for metaverse fashion. Except for breakout players like robloxcompanies still struggle to break metaverse-centric creations, such as AR-powered wearables and avatar wardrobes, to mainstream appeal.

Challenges caused by the nascent stage of technology, inaccessibility, and awkwardness are often difficult to fix.

brands such as Vaquera, Levi’s and Casablanca This is why we are integrating AI into our strategy rather than metaverse activation. For cult labels like Vaquera and Casablanca (two newcomers to the fashion world), AI is a cheaper and riskier alternative to projects like NFTs, which often require large financial investments without guaranteed rewards. provide a lesser alternative.

It’s also a shortcut to gaining cultural exposure and taking your marketing campaigns to the next level.

The End of “Chinaverse”?

Speculation about whether the metaverse will take off is at an all-time high as more organizations jump on AI-focused activations.

In particular, the conversation has overtaken China. Baidu recently announced that AI-generated content ( It is scheduled ChatGPT’s rival Ernie) has dampened the willingness to invest more resources into the metaverse business, leaving applications like XiRang behind. at the edge of a cliff.

In 2022, Max Mara held its first digital exhibition in Xilan, Baidu.Photo: Xiaohongshu

China has seen a nationwide shutdown of Metaverse-centric ventures this year, and the change has mostly affected digital fashion and collectibles platforms such as Tencent’s Huanhe and ByteDance’s Pheagee.

Since then, the metaverse market has reached a tipping point.

It is estimated that 58% Across the country, 80% of companies have already deployed AI, and 30% are considering integration.China’s artificial intelligence industry as a whole spends forecast It is expected to reach $14.75 billion in 2023 as the country races ahead to establish itself as an AI superhub.

Trends such as digital collectibles are rapidly being superseded by the increasingly popular AI-generated celebrities and KOLs as Chinese tech giants pour billions into the space.It is a rapidly accelerating epidemic and now the country is crack down about regulation of such content.

happy bond

While the artificial intelligence boom may be worrying for metaverse-centric companies, Justin Banon, co-founder of the decentralized commerce layer Boson Protocol, doesn’t think it should be.

Bannon explains that the use cases for both innovations are so different that the relationship is less competitive and more collaborative and mutually beneficial.

“AI can create just about anything, but we don’t know if it’s real. What technology like blockchain can do is prove what’s real and what’s fake. [But] In a fully AI-generated metaverse, you don’t know if the person you’re buying from is real or not, but the metaverse provides cryptographic assurance,” he said. Kyo Ilbo.

“AI can create just about anything, but we don’t know if it’s real. What technology like blockchain can do is prove what’s real and what’s fake. [But] In a fully AI-generated metaverse, you don’t know if the person you’re buying from is genuine or not, but the metaverse provides cryptographic assurance. “

With the Metaverse gaining traction, Bannon believes AI can actually revitalize the Metaverse’s appeal, rather than replace it.

“I think these are two very, very powerful forces: AI enables creativity and blockchain guarantees. [are] We’re going to build this whole new world,” he continues.

For example, Apple has hinted at introducing generative AI into its products. vision pro This is a convergence of how departments can invest in both metaverse and AI tools to power their applications.

Samuel Hoover, CEO of LandVault, the largest real estate company in the Metaverse, also believes there are still gaps in the Metaverse market, despite the dominance of AI. With a team of over 120 architects, designers, and developers, LandVault has built metaverse experiences for brands like Mastercard and L’Oréal, and Web3 projects like World of Women.

LandVault helped Mastercard establish Pride Plaza in Decentraland, which includes a community center and dance floor. Photo: LandVault

“Despite the fact that AI is currently a hot topic on the Internet, the Metaverse still plays an important role in modern web culture. There are many ways to bring it,” Hoover says.

Huber argues that people should see AI as a catalyst for democratizing access to the metaverse. This is something digital terrain has struggled with in the past.

“AI can create content, but it lacks the creativity and humanity that users bring to the metaverse. The metaverse empowers people to show their talents and express themselves creatively,” he said. say. “This capability of user-generated content contributes to the metaverse’s continued relevance in web culture by facilitating its vibrant and dynamic nature.”

As artificial intelligence continues to disrupt the internet status quo, its restrained appeal could help buck trends in the metaverse, reigniting its relevance in the process.