Get ready for an exciting episode this week as we explore the dynamic relationship between the metaverse and AI. We’ll also dive into the cutting-edge insights from the Future Today Institute’s 16th edition of its Tech Trends Report, which was unveiled at SXSW and bonus! we will talk about an upcoming event in amazing Metaverse that is not to be missed.
Hi there! I’m Ethan Bach, and I’m thrilled to be coming to you from Alt Ethos, a Metaverse and Experiential Design Studio in our weekly roundup. In under 5 minutes, we’ll be giving you the latest Metaverse, XR, and Web3 news to keep you ahead of the curve.
In a recent interview with Gartner director analyst Tuong (Two Nong) Nguyen (Wen) on sdxcentral.com, they discussed the impact of AI on the metaverse and vice versa. It’s clear that these two technologies are going to change the game when it comes to digital interaction.
Initially, AI will revolutionize the metaverse by allowing for personalized experiences that adapt to users’ preferences and behavior. With AI algorithms, users can expect immersive and dynamic experiences tailored to them in the 3D world. Additionally, intelligent avatars will become more human-like, using natural language processing and computer vision to communicate with users and react to their actions and emotions. We have already seen examples of this just weeks after ChatGPT came out in the metaverse Engage who customized an NPC to speak through AI and help the user to use tasks in Engage.
However the things you may not be things is how the metaverse will also fuel the development of AI technology. Let’s be honest, one reason the metaverse is so desirable for marketing is the collection of data. It’s like social media data collecting on crack. The massive amounts of data generated by users’ interactions can be used to train AI algorithms and improve their accuracy and effectiveness. This mutually beneficial relationship has exciting potential. To be fair, for those of you who are worried data mining, not all metaverse platforms will release all your data.
Of course we have to touch on the security risks to consider, such as hacking and harassment. We saw this this week with Siemens Metaverse exposer of corporate data. But not to worry just as we see stolen data from our mobile phone companies, measure will be taken to provider stronger security. And AI can help detect and prevent these malicious activities, making the metaverse a safer place for all users.
As with any new technology, there will be challenges to overcome. But as Nguyen (Wen) notes, “Like the internet, the metaverse will continue to evolve.”
We must keep an eye on these two technologies and their evolving relationship, as the potential for personalized, immersive experiences and intelligent avatars is mind-blowing.
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Diving deeper into AI and Metaverse – here is a break down some serious tech news that’s going to impact every industry in 2023 and beyond. Just recently, Amy Webb launched Future Today Institute’s Emerging Tech Trend Report at SXSW 2023, and it’s got our minds blown with over 600 trends across 819 pages. But let’s cut to the chase and talk about the ones that matter most – AI and the Metaverse.
These trends are already reshaping industries and will change society as we know it. Right now we are moving from the internet age of information to interconnected data, and that means LLMs (Large Language Models) or AI will play a significant role. We’re talking AI accelerators, cloud computing, and massive neural networks that will make our current technology seem primitive. But with all of this new tech comes the need for regulation and preparation, and education on how to use AI or entire groups of people risk falling behind.
On the optimistic side, AI and the Metaverse will transform industries like medicine and education, increasing productivity and creating new tools for humanity. But on the catastrophic side, we could face aggressive data scraping and new digital divides. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. We have the power to create a better future by showing up for ourselves and each other. Let’s embrace this moment and make it count!
As we said last week, we need to show love for each other and for technology and show our best selves to move forward for the best future.
Lastly, there is an event on Wednesday that is not to be missed. Alt Ethos is proud to be a part of the future of the metaverse! We’re excited to sponsor the upcoming Metaverse Networking event, hosted by the Reality Innovators Network on the cutting-edge platform by Odyssey VR.The Reality Innovators Network , the largest Metaverse, VR/AR/XR community on LinkedIn with over 60,000 members on Linked. We have provided the link below.
That’s it for this week
Thanks for tuning in, make sure to hit subscribe and put your thoughts below, and we’ll see you next week for our first XR, Metaverse and Web3 news roundup in under 5 minutes.
Don’t miss Staying Fit in the Metaverse – Wednesday 4/19 @11am Pacific.
On behalf of The Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) and Alt Ethos, we invite you to our virtual presentation “Global Creative Connection through Immersive Virtual Worlds” hosted in our new Pathos Metaverse, a 3D avatar platform, this Friday October 1st, 2021 at 2:00 PM MST
Alt Ethos Presentation: Come explore the future of art, technology, and global connectivity through virtual worlds from top creators and thought leaders in the immersive industry. The pandemic shot us into the future of digital engagement and immersive worlds. As some creatives quickly grasped the change to become known internationally, others were left confused. This talk will walk you through the history, present, and future of virtual worlds and how they will impact the global community, our professional lives, and our collective digital future. Speakers:
Julian Reyes, MC
Eric Dallimore, Moderator Panelists
Carlos Austin
Ethan Bach
Evo (Evonne) Heyning
Celeste Lear
Q&A from audience submitted in writing
Carlos Austin, Real-Time “In World (VR)” Live Multi-cam video switching and still photographer at Austin Photograph
Carlos is passionate about the arts with an emphasis on photography/video “in-world” TV production and emerging drone technology. An XR evangelist as this technology begins to mature. Helping create Broadcast television standards for capturing live events in virtual social platforms. Real-time switching live shows with a multi-camera setup. There are so many opportunities to communicate and educate the world through XR. 3rd Generation photographer and storyteller.
Ethan Bach, CEO Alt Ethos
Ethan Bach is the founding CEO of Alt Ethos: experiential design agency and Founder and Board Member of DATA (Denver Arts + Technology Advancement). Westword calls Ethan, “An entrepreneur with an eye on the future’s future.” Bach holds an MFA in Electronic Arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Alt Ethos is an award-winning design company and has been recognized in CodaWorx Magazine; the Young Industry Professionals, and by the Mayor of Fort Collins.
Evo (Evonne) Heyning, Metaverse Media. Creative Executive Producer
Evo Heyning is an award-winning producer, technologist, founder and creator focused on the future of participatory media. Evo focuses on collaborative teams that work across fields, sectors, and platforms to create meaningful global endeavors. Evo has created virtual beings, worlds, and campaigns for 20 years. Evo produced major live streaming concerts and campaigns for the White House including the launch of the Affordable Care Act and virtual worlds for diplomacy, civic engagement, and nonprofit development.
Celeste Lear, Immersive Event Producer & Designer, XR Entertainment Specialist, Music & Sound Director, Host, VR Consultant
DJ Celeste is an entertainment & event industry professional with 15+ years of concert, festival & conference production experience. Immersive technology expert skilled in designing & executing cutting-edge events both physically, virtually, AND in Virtual Reality. First in a new wave of DJs who design their own stages & perform as avatars in VR Festivals and Nightclubs. Executive music direction, production & clearance for International, multi-media installation projects for UN & UNESCO, including a large-scale video mapping experience in Paris.
About Pathos Metaverse
Pathos Metaverse is a browser-based virtual world by Alt Ethos. For this panel, all of the speakers will be avatars in the Pathos Metaverse. Through live-action virtual cinematography, CCI participants will stream the event in real-time. Selected avatar audience members will also be in attendance and watching the entire production in the Pathos Metaverse.
Pathos Metaverse is an easy-to-use, dynamic, and engaging immersive platform. Pathos Metaverse provides exciting meeting places, dynamic events, branded virtual worlds, and future-thinking hybrid-virtual-world solutions, pushing the boundaries of interactivity.
Developing communities are a true artist’s dream. They are a blank canvas upon which creativity can be carved from nothing. The essence of public art especially fosters creativity in ways other art forms do not. Digital design, sculpture, and architecture can all create the groundwork for a community thriving in culture. However, planning and investment of creative resources must be utilized carefully to create public art that has meaning and impact.
What is Public Art?
Public art, simply put, is architecture, murals, sculpture, or digital designs that are created in the public domain. They are accessible to all and are used to create beauty and culture within an otherwise purely pragmatic space. Public art has been an important part of community development since the early 20th century. It can encourage collaboration and community involvement that provides a sense of pride to area residents.
Public art can include city sculpture, architecture, wall art, and other mediums accessible by the public. Traditionally, public art has included sculpture, murals, ecological design, and occasionally digital displays. However, in the digital age we are seeing an influx of interactive public art designed for user interaction, or experiential design. This trend is slowly but surely gaining traction in areas where community development takes on an innovative approach.
The Problem with Public Art as a Part of Community Development
Public art can contribute to culture and residential satisfaction, however in most community development projects, it is taken very lightly. Oftentimes the limited budget for public art is taken from the same budget that provides for affordable housing or roadway improvements. When residents see an eyesore art piece coupled with potholes and underdeveloped residential areas, public art can quickly turn into the lowest priority for community members.
Developing communities have the opportunity to make public art more than an afterthought.
Many developers don’t pay attention to the inclusion of public art, but it can make an impact on community areas if done correctly. An art piece that has cultural meaning, modern relevance, and interactive elements will be cherished by residents and worth the time and investment.
How to Make Public Art Valuable to the Community at Large
Instead of going the traditional route, many developers are leaning towards digital, interactive public art to include in their community projects. Experiential designs and digital media displays are modern, unique, and engage community members to give them experiences, not just stagnant aesthetics.
Creations of installation art, interactive architecture, interactive film, and interactive storytelling through digital landscapes all offer communities more to experience and enjoy. An interactive public art piece where residents can make memories, tell their own stories, and unleash creativity adds exponentially more value than a static piece commissioned by one local artist. With experiential design, community members become the creators. When this happens, public art matters.
These digital interactive pieces can transform an area into a more modern community. It attracts community members to otherwise declining economic areas, offering a springboard of inspiration to make more out of a community development project.
For examples of experiential design in community development projects and other public spaces, check out some of AltEthos’ current and past projects.
AltEthos works with community developers, landscape designers, and local artists to bring visions into interactive experience landscapes that can transform communities. Change the way people see, feel, and live in your community by adding real value in the form of public art. The change starts now with AltEthos.
Our team has recently been able to join in some of the most prestigious and enlightening events which have opened our eyes to new ways of thinking and helped to create a stronger connection with the creative tech community.
Founded in 1996, the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) is a transdisciplinary center for research, creation, production, training and dissemination dedicated to developing and conserving digital culture. North America’s first Living Lab, the SAT specializes in immersive environments, the use of high-speed networks and experience design.
With the aim to create tangible, all-encompassing audiovisual experiences, the Satosphere is the first permanent immersive theatre devoted to artistic development. The dome, which puts the audience at the center of the works, forms a 360-degree spherical projection screen that can accommodate up to 350 spectators.
This year focused on explorations of total body immersion inside of digital spaces, experiencing technology on direct sensory levels. A few examples: Atau Tanaka, Professor of Media Computing at Goldsmiths University gave a talk on The Body as Musical Instrument, illuminating his method of translating gestural interaction to audio signals. For those curious, Atau’s performance at TEDxPantheonSorbonne may be found here.
Currents New Media Festival
On June 10th our team traveled to Santa Fe to experience Currents New Media 2017. Currents brings multidisciplinary artists from across the planet to exhibit VR/AR/MR creations blending experimental and psychological expression through immersive, interactive technology.
Currents began as a project in 2002 intended to bring together video and New Media artists who at the time had few places to exhibit. Since then the festival has grown in the number of artists and mediums – Now featuring Virtual Reality, projection mapping, robotics, sensor integration and beyond.
For 15 consecutive years Mariannah Amster and Frank Ragano have curated this event under their nonprofit Parallel Studios. Such an event is only possible with a diverse network of multitalented artists from across the globe, creating a radical melting pot of new concepts.
GlobalMindED
On June 23rd, Matt Maes – CIO participated in the GlobalMindED Tech Track “Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality: Opportunities in Education” alongside Julien Lynge of Arch Virtual and the DaVinci Institute and Sandi Mays of the Zayo Group.
The GlobalMindED movement is about access, equity and opportunity for First Generation to College and underserved populations, those who work with them and those who want to hire a diverse talent pipeline. At our annual conference, we convene thought leaders from all backgrounds and industries to support educational innovators who are setting a new standard for inclusive leadership.
The opening reception began at 9:00am led by Futurist and Executive Director of the DaVinci Institute, Thomas Frey who explained the cataclysmic economic shift which will be brought on by driverless vehicles. Automobile accident rates will plummet. The need for driver’s insurance will become obsolete. Intersections will operate only as a junction rather than a stopping point as cars move harmoniously past each other.
The second panel, Personalized Learning: Students at the Center was led by Dr Bena Kallick, program director of Eduplanet 21 featuring Superintendent Jeff Dillon of Wilder School District, Teacher Jody Ordoñez of Vista High School and Principal Dr. Bertie Simmons of E.L. Furr High School. This discussion revealed the merits of student led programs and the technologies which make this new methodology possible. The new generation of learners are increasingly curious and are growing to depend less and less on the role of an authoritative leader to pass on knowledge. Our technology has grown hand in hand with us to the point where lesson plans may be gained from sources such as Wolfram Alpha, Khan Academy, Youtube and so on.
The Tech Track began to fill up at 11:10am as many from the previous panel in Court C remained and others filed inside. Lynge, Mays and Maes (not related) then hosted a discussion rich in topics ranging from basic to interestingly advanced. We first began with introductions and each of our most recent projects and moved into intriguing topics such as the social dynamics of VR, whether AR or VR is more effective in the classroom and VR conferencing.
Eyeo Festival
Most recently Paul Elsberg – CSE attended the Eyeo Festival held from June 26th-29th.
Since its inception in 2011, the team behind the Eyeo Festival has been inspired by the notion that this decade presents an exceptionally exciting time to be interested in art, interaction, and information. The way we experience all three is changing. The way all three interact and overlap is quickly evolving. Easier access to powerful tools and technologies continues to increase. What data is, where it comes from, and how we utilize it, looks different than ever before.
On Thursday, July 27th 5:30pm – 7:30pm at the Commons on Champa’s Innovation Lounge Elsberg will be leading second installment of Denver Arts + Technology Advancement Hacksters – Hackster.io Fusion 360 Demo and Eyeo Festival In Review – Presented by Hackster.io, Autodesk and Alt Ethos! We will be going over how to approach using Autodesk Fusion 360’s modeling capabilities to design object enclosures. We will also be covering insights from the international Eyeo Festival, a conference featuring professional creative technologists at the forefront of the industry. You may RSVP for the event here:
We are very pleased to bring back lots of amazing insights from Eyeo Festival, an international conference for professionals at the epicenter of creative technology. You can check out the speakers and more information at the festival websitehttp://eyeofestival.com/.
Matt Maes is a Denver animator focused on immersive and interactive technology. He is Chief Influence Officer ofAlt Ethos, Ltd and is also an executive member of the nonprofit organization Denver Arts and Technology Advancement (D.A.T.A.)
Companies are quickly realizing that the most effective way to reach a broader audience is to approach them with a creative, 3-Dimensional experience. Give people an opportunity designed to suspend attention, live out their desires and sensibilities in the most immediate sense: Right before them. Whether this brightens their day or in some cases changes their life, it will leave an imprint.
Experiential Marketing is further amplified by the use of social media. Experiences grab audiences attention, social media allows them to spread the moment among their own circles. An experience is shared in the moment – Social media sharing effectively extends and measures these experiences in likes and shares.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this approach is in it’s genuineness. You may find that it’s much harder to scroll past an experience than an ad; Trust me, I’ve tried both. As humans we’ve molded our creations as extensions of ourselves. Experiential Design extends our reach one step further, inviting groups to interact with design and most importantly have fun.
Give people something which involves their participation. Let them draw, press a button, swipe a card, play a game, in short – express themselves, and they’ll be inclined to share with friends. The challenge isn’t in getting people to interact. We naturally want to interact. How often are we given the opportunity?
As companies evolve so should their images. Reinvention is necessary to stay fresh. Showing another dimension spikes intrigue and can bring people who may normally never meet together in one place.
Now you may be wondering “If Experiential Design is so great why isn’t everyone applying it?” which is an excellent question. My answer is twofold:
Experiential campaigns characteristically range in cost, complexity, creativeness and duration. Quality Experiential Marketing studios will consider budget, scope, customers and message all thoroughly planning along side in transparency. The key ingredient is creativity.
Experiential Design lives in our everyday environments though we may not recognize it as such. This is largely because the term is fairly new and as not widely associated with a specific title. Our attention is commonly more focused on the gesture itself than penning it with a specific term. Now consider these recent studies:
“Customer Experience is the Future of Design. Adopting practices that elevate the customer experience will undoubtedly produce a return on investment and provide a steady foundation for your brand.” – UX Magazine, 2016.
“Experiential Design increases brand awareness by 81% and increases a deeper customer involvement by 57%”. – “Brand Survey Report”, Event Marketer, 2015.
“Experiential Design activates chemicals in the brain: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins; These increase happiness, productivity, and customer loyalty.”“The Neurochemicals of Happiness” Psychology Today and Technology Advice, 2014.
To learn more, here are a few of our favorite posts on Experiential Design:
Matt Maes is a Denver animator focused on immersive and interactive technology. He is Chief Influence Officer ofAlt Ethos, Ltd and is also an executive member of the nonprofit organization Denver Arts and Technology Advancement (D.A.T.A.)
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