Step into the Metaverse: How the Immersive Internet Will Unlock a Trillion–Dollar Social Economy

Mark van Rijmenam, PhD, is The Digital Speaker. He is a future tech strategist who thinks about how emerging technologies change organisations, society and the metaverse. Van Rijmenam is an international keynote speaker, 4x author and entrepreneur.

About the Author ix Foreword x Preface xii 2032 xiv Introduction xxiii Chapter 1: The Future Is Immersive 1 From Web 1.0 to Web 3.0 1 From AR to VR to XR 8 What Can the Metaverse Become? 12 Six Characteristics of the Metaverse 17 Interoperability 18 Decentralization 20 Persistency 22 Spatiality 24 Community-Driven 25 Self-Sovereignty 26 An Open Metaverse Means Freedom 30 An Endless Blue Ocean 31 Chapter 2: Creating an Open Metaverse 35 Open vs. Closed 35 The Hybrid Web 41 An Open Economic System 44 Chapter 3: Be Who You Want to Be 47 The Rise of the Avatars 47 Digital Fashion 55 iCommerce 62 A Cambrian Explosion of Identity 65 Chapter 4: Be Where You Want to Be 67 Virtual Worlds 67 Gaming in the Metaverse 74 Sports in the Metaverse 77 Media and Entertainment in the Metaverse 80 Education in the Metaverse 83 Power to the Creators 86 Chapter 5: Unbounded Creativity for Brands 89 Beyond flash 89 The Power of an Immersive Community 92 Endless New Touchpoints 94 Continuous and Real-Time Insights 95 Increased Sustainability 96 Virtual World Considerations 97 The Era of Experience Marketing 98 Creativity, Community, and Co-Creation 102 Chapter 6: Exponential Enterprise Connectivity 107 A Changing World 107 The Future of Immersive Work 110 The Metaverse Job Market 114 How to Get Started 117 Digital Twins 117 The Role of Governments 125 Chapter 7: The Creator Economy 129 A Vibrant Metaverse Economy 129 Why Tokens Matter 133 Challenges of NFTs 138 Digital Real Estate 143 Economic Mechanisms 146 From DeFi to MetaFi 150 Chapter 8: Digitalism in the Metaverse 155 Technology Is Neutral 155 Dangers of the Metaverse 156 The Datafication of Everything 157 Privacy Is an Illusion 158 Abuse, Harassment, and Illegal Content 159 Imposter Avatars 160 Data Security 161 Increased Inequality 162 Bad Bots Controlling the Web 162 Increased Polarization 163 Biased AI 164 Health Issues 165 Verification, Education, and Regulation 165 Verification 166 Education 168 Regulation 169 Surveillance or Empowerment 171 Chapter 9: The Future of the Metaverse 175 BCI: The Future of Immersive Experiences 175 A Renaissance of Art, Creativity, and Innovation 178 Epilogue 183 Acknowledgments 186 References 189 Index 215