China News Agency, Beijing, September 14th: Will the Metaverse become the next generation of the Internet?
——Interview with Ren Fuji, Honorary Vice Chairman of the Chinese Society for Artificial Intelligence and Academician of the Japanese Academy of Engineering
Author Pang Wuji, Cao Xufan
Beginning last year, the concept of the "metaverse", born in science fiction, began to take the world by storm.
Roblox, the first share of the metaverse concept, was officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange in March last year, and its market value exceeded $38 billion on the first day.
In October of that year, Facebook announced that it would change the company's name to Meta, which pushed the term "Metaverse" to a climax.
Tech giants have fallen.
Apple develops AR headsets; Baidu releases Metaverse product "Xi Rong"; ByteDance also acquired Chinese VR equipment maker Pico last year.
It is generally believed that the term metaverse was born in the 1992 science fiction novel "Avalanche", which depicts a vast virtual reality world where people use digital avatars to control the world and compete with each other.
Why is the metaverse, a concept born in science fiction, popular all over the world?
Can it really go from science fiction to reality?
Is the Metaverse the future or a hoax?
Ren Fuji, honorary vice chairman of the Chinese Society for Artificial Intelligence and academician of the Japanese Academy of Engineering, said in a recent interview with China News Agency "Dongxiwen" that most researchers believe that it will take at least 10 to 15 years to develop the metaverse.
Because some technical and theoretical foundations of the metaverse still need to be broken through, "so we define it as the 'future that has come'. It should not come now, but it has come."
He called on researchers to follow up and develop, and make up for the shortcomings of the metaverse's technical theory, so that the metaverse can truly come into reality.
The following is a summary of the interview transcript:
"The Future That Comes"
China News Service reporter: In your opinion, what is the metaverse? Is it a vent or a bubble?
Ren Fuji:
Actually, there is no unified definition of the metaverse.
In general, the Metaverse is an Internet application and social form that integrates a variety of new technologies to produce a fusion of reality and reality.
It provides an immersive experience based on extended reality technology, generates a mirror image of the real world based on digital twin technology, builds an economic system based on blockchain technology, and closely integrates the virtual world and the real world in the economic system, social system, and identity system, and allows Content production and world editing per user.
From a research perspective, we all believe that it will take at least another 10 to 15 years to develop the metaverse, because the technological and theoretical foundations of the metaverse still need to be broken through before it can mature.
So we (researchers) define it as "the future that has come" - it shouldn't come yet, but it has come.
Judging from the current technology and theory, the metaverse can easily become a "bubble".
Although the stocks of some companies have risen, some companies have changed their names, and many companies have followed suit, the foundation of the Metaverse is not yet solid, and it is still just a concept.
If technology and theory do not follow up, it is indeed a bubble. Generally speaking, the boom will not exceed 5 years.
But we also hope that researchers and scientists take the metaverse seriously, because the "wind" cannot be stopped.
If researchers can follow up the development and make up for the shortcomings of technical theory, it may make the bubble become a reality.
Now that the market resources related to the Metaverse are so good, and there are still a lot of funds, the development can be accelerated.
On September 1, the 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference kicked off in Shanghai.
The theme of this conference is "Intelligent Connected World Metaverse Unbounded", seize the opportunity of "Metaverse", and focus on displaying the achievements of global artificial intelligence development.
The picture shows that the Metaverse exhibition area is very popular.
Photo by Tang Yanjun
China News Agency reporter: What is the attitude of major countries in the world towards the Metaverse? Compared with the major countries in the world, what are the characteristics and advantages of China in developing the metaverse?
Ren Fuji:
Before last year, most countries and scientific research institutions were in a wait-and-see state of the Metaverse.
But since last year, the metaverse has been fierce, and some countries have begun to introduce relevant plans to guide the industry.
China also takes this very seriously, as the metaverse is an important part of the digital economy.
For example, the action plan (2022-2025) for cultivating a new track for the "Metaverse" announced by Shanghai in July this year proposes that by 2025, the scale of "Metaverse"-related industries will reach 350 billion yuan.
Beijing, Wuhan, Hefei, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and other places also have layouts for Metaverse.
Countries and regions such as South Korea, Japan, the United States, and Europe have also embraced the Metaverse.
For example, the South Korean government plans to become the fifth largest metaverse market in the world by 2026.
After the concept of the metaverse warmed up, Japan proposed to pay attention to the planning of talents.
China's biggest advantage lies in its abundance of AI-driven big data resources.
In the future metaverse and digital society, big data is very important.
With data, according to artificial intelligence and deep learning methods, China is likely to extract many algorithms to realize the metaverse.
Moreover, in recent years, China has made rapid progress in computing power and is expected to become the world's top. With the advantages of data and algorithms, China is very likely to take the lead in developing original technologies in the metaverse, so as to realize the transformation from "0" to "0". "1" breakthrough.
On September 3, 2022, the first China Jiangning Metaverse Industry Development Summit Forum was held in Nanjing.
In the event, the "beautiful" robot brought by a company not only has a lifelike appearance, but also realizes human-computer interaction, attracting the attention of the attendees.
Photo by Yang Bo
"Virtual and Real"
China News Agency reporter: Although the technology is not yet mature, a number of games with the concept of the metaverse have come out. Some people worry that people will become more and more addicted to the virtual experience brought by the metaverse and become a "brain in a vat". What do you think?
Ren Fuji:
Games are one of the entrances to the metaverse, but the metaverse is not a game.
Thinking of the Metaverse as a super-large 3D virtual game is one-sided.
The Metaverse is currently on the "window".
We call on scientists, researchers, and governments to guide users correctly and avoid shortcomings.
It must be noted that the metaverse and real life are in a subordinate relationship, and the virtual world serves real life, making real life more functional and efficient, rather than replacing reality with virtual reality.
We recently proposed the concept of a "transcendent model", which is aimed at the difficulty of linking the metaverse with the real world.
Of course, it is not a matter of a day or two to do this.
On September 1, the telecommunications, computer and information service exhibition hall of the Shougang Park exhibition area of the Beijing 2022 Service Trade Fair, the audience experienced in the Metaverse Game Hall.
Photo by Du Jianpo
China News Agency reporter: Will the metaverse become a new form of human life in the future?
Ren Fuji:
I think so.
The true metaverse of the future is not only immersive, but also allows virtual scenes to be realized in reality.
The key lies in the super-world model.
Tell a story: Uncle Yuan, 75, is immersed in the game in a virtual scene.
While talking to his grandson and granddaughter in the distance, he suddenly suffered a heart attack.
The Metaverse can simulate a doctor, but no real person can come.
In the future super world model, the 75-year-old super brother, when the same emergency occurs, the physical robot behind him will come out with the much-needed medicine to save the elderly from danger.
In the same way, if someone sees an attractive Peking duck in the metaverse of the future super world model, the 3D super printer will automatically analyze the ingredients of the roast duck and print it out, then at the same time as seeing it, it will really be able to Tried this dish.
In the future, if we can combine the virtual and the real in the super-world model, and bring real convenience to business, industry and society, this is the way we should go.
By then, the way we live, produce, and communicate will change.
On September 1, 2022, the interactive virtual fashion experience event "FabriX" was held in Hong Kong.
This is a multi-dimensional virtual fashion pilot project that combines creation, production and sales in the "metaverse".
Pictured is a virtual fashion show.
Photo by Li Zhihua
"Next Generation Internet?"
China News Agency reporter: Will the Metaverse achieve interconnection in the future?
Ren Fuji:
The final form of the metaverse is definitely to open up all parties, but we still have several problems to solve.
The first is the issue of privacy.
The Metaverse is a virtual space, and privacy is the biggest security risk. Personal privacy must be protected systematically, institutionally, and technically.
The second is geographic and country restrictions.
After these restrictions are relaxed, the interconnection of the metaverse is technically possible, just like the Internet is now.
China News Agency reporter: Will the Metaverse become the next generation of Internet?
Ren Fuji:
The Internet has changed the course of human beings and connected people's lives, but the Metaverse does not have this ability, so now the Metaverse is called the next-generation Internet. Personally, I think it's too big to say that it can't afford this. important task.
In particular, the current metaverse has not yet made any breakthroughs in theory, so the current so-called "metaverse" will not and cannot become the next-generation Internet.
The Internet in the future may be the Internet of Intelligence, and everything in the world—every flower, every tree, including machines, will have a base point and will be connected by this “big network”.
The metaverse is only one form of it, and it cannot replace the Internet of Intelligence.
Of course, the metaverse can promote the development and evolution of the current Internet and information technology, and it is expected to truly connect the virtual and the real through super-world models.
I can't estimate this time, maybe 20 years, maybe 50 years.
(Finish)
Interviewee Profile:
Ren Fuji, Academician of the Japanese Academy of Engineering, Doctor of Engineering of Hokkaido University, Distinguished Chair Professor of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chief Scientist of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Chief Scientist of Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Study, Dean of International Advanced Informatization Research, and Honorary Professor of Tokushima University.
He has successively served as a CSK researcher in Japan, a visiting professor at New Mexico State University, a visiting professor at Florida International University, a visiting professor at Harvard University, the dean of the Department of Intelligent Engineering, the dean of graduate students, and the director of the information decision-making department at Tokushima University in Japan.
He is a National Distinguished Expert, Chair Professor of Changjiang Scholars Award Program, recipient of Overseas Outstanding Young Scholars Fund, Honorary Vice President of China Artificial Intelligence Society, Haizhi Expert of China Association for Science and Technology, and Advisory Committee Member of Science and Technology Experts of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council.
Founder and chairman of the IEEE International Conference on Natural Language Processing and Knowledge Engineering.
The first president of the Chinese Science and Technology Association in Japan, the former president of the Japan New Overseas Chinese Association, the former president and honorary president of the All-Japan Chinese Doctors Association.
Winner of Japan Natural Science Gennai Award, Recreation Association Award, Wu Wenjun Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology Award Innovation First Prize, Scientific Chinese Person of the Year "Outstanding Contribution Award", Anhui Provincial Government Huangshan Friendship Award, and Chinese Government Friendship Award.