Critical Report: The Meta-verse | 21/22 Visual Effect

Nowadays, with the continuous advancement of science and technology, we have crated many virtual worlds such as VR, AR and even XR. However, with the continuous exploration of science and artificial intelligence technologies, we don’t know what the world will be like in the future.

Reference from the Google Image_ By the book <Snow Crash>.

“The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”

Prof Stephen Hawking, one of Britain’s pre-eminent scientists, has said that efforts to create thinking machines pose a threat to our very existence. But with the increase pressure of the societies and works, people are constantly venting and looking for pleasure in the virtual world, and also, we will need more AI technics to lighten our burden. This is the reason why the “Meta-verse world” has been created. The meta-universe is slowly being constructed to meet our needs, we can do anything such as shopping, working, education in this virtual world. If this Meta-verse is perfect and we rely on it, how do we distinguish between the virtual world and the real world? An object? AI? Or human brain and senses? Do we really want to come out and back to the reality at that time? Will we be confused about who we are?

If we made a switch or an object to help us distinguish and get out of the metaverse, will it be worked? From the very beginning to today’s games and movies industries, we are pursuing a more realistic scene and quality. Modelling, visual effects and game engine simulators, we are keep developing and creating to getting ideals of the future life.

“we are in the early stages of a new filmmaking revolution. An array of rapidly developing technologies offer thrilling potential for the future of motion pictures – such as the rise of AR (augmented reality), AI (artificial intelligence) and the ever-increasing capacity for computers to power detailed digital worlds.”

Indeed, the more real the environment, we will get the more stronger our sense of substitution. If there is a VR head set in front of me, i will try it on, no matter what’s in there, just because of curious. Also, we are getting used of the traditional movie style, but now people want more interactive and immersive such as VR movie and selected movies which let the audiences’ to control the story goes.

“According to VR guru and artist Chris Milk, films of the future will offer tailored immersive experiences. They will, he tells BBC Culture, be capable of “crafting a story in real-time, that is just for you, that uniquely satisfies you and what your likes and dislikes are.”

Milk prefers terms like “story living” over standard nomenclature such as “storytelling.” He believes cinematic experiences will evolve to “feel as natural and as real as a day in your life, but have the amazing characteristics of the kind of exciting stories that we are used to being told.”

Due to continuous improvement and innovation of technologies, the audiences and game players are pursuing more participation and freedom. If in the Meta-verse, everything is so real and look exactly the same like the reality, will we get confused, how do we tell ourselves this is not real, do we need to consider to create an object? Or like the movie <Inception> shows spinning top to help us distinguish? At the present stage, the meta-universe has just started, and there are no more investigations and tests on this issue, but through the difference between dreams and reality, we may be able to distinguish by some details, such as looking in a mirror. Identifying through an object may involve certain risks and uncertainties, because each person’s conceived object is different, and this method can only work under the premise of a specific scene.

Can artificial intelligence help us to distinguish and out of the Meta-verse? Should they can be trust? Today’s artificial intelligence technology has been very developed, and AI has also been applied to many industries, such as entertainment, medical, transportation etc. AI Is becoming standard in all businesses, not just in the world of tech. Also, in some famous science fiction movies that we have seen, it is obvious that the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology has caused people’s fear that artificial intelligence will one day completely replace humans. After all, with the advancement of technology, many manual labor tasks have been automated and controlled and commanded by artificial intelligence. Therefore, the leap in artificial intelligence technology may herald the beginning of the end of work as we know it.

“It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate,” he said.

“Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”

—-Stephen Hawking

Through continuous learning, artificial intelligence has continuously replaced and surpassed humans in certain fields. Some news has also reported that the listed Go master was defeated by artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence asked some horrible questions in interviews etc. With efficient and fast learning, artificial intelligence can easily learn human history and culture, and even language. In this regard, do we now need to give artificial intelligence some restrictions so that they are under our control.

“We thus designed a brief questionnaire and distributed it to four groups of experts in 2012/2013. The median estimate of respondents was for a one in two chance that high-level machine intelligence will be developed around 2040–2050, rising to a nine in ten chance by 2075. Experts expect that systems will move on to superintelligence in less than 30 years thereafter. They estimate the chance is about one in three that this development turns out to be ‘bad’ or ‘extremely bad’ for humanity.”

When we cannot distinguish between reality and virtuality, can we trust artificial intelligence? Today’s artificial intelligence technology is not completely intelligent enough to surpass humans, and if the person in charge implements it, artificial intelligence can benefit humans. If artificial intelligence is reliable and efficient in the context of a complete security system, the same is true in the meta-universe. But if artificial intelligence falls into the hands of dangerous people to modify it, it will be catastrophic. Therefore, in the meta-universe, due to many uncertain security factors, it is completely believed that artificial intelligence may not be a completely reliable method.

Can our brain and basic sensory system help us distinguish the real world and the virtual world? As we all know that humans recognize and distinguish the world through various sensory systems of the body. Hearing, taste, smell, and touch, and transmit information to the brain center through neurons, so that we can accurately understand and learn the world. But sometimes, our brain will make mistakes to confuse that what’s the real world, is it a dream or a reality? Like the movie <The Matrix> says “ Ever have that feeling where you’re not sure if you’re awake or dreaming?” And also, in <The Matrix>, A very interesting storyline is that the young programmer, he asked Neo if you are in the virtual world,there is a breakfast cereal in front of you but never ever eat it in the reality, what will the taste of it be like when you eat it? It cannot be the real taste, but it can be the taste of cereal in your memory. Our talking and behavior are controlled by the brain, and all our senses are finally received by the brain as well. Which means that what we hear and see, can become like what the brain wants us to hear and see.

“If our brain would let us experience all sensory stimuli around us, we would go NUTS. In order to function, we need a filter and we need focus. Did you ever find yourself turning down the volume of the radio because you had to think deeply? We can’t simply handle all impulses at once, but we can focus and ignore what’s not important. That is also why we hear it when someone in a talking crowd says our name.”

Therefore, the brain is like our fickle friend. When we are in a brand new space or chaotic world, it has a lot of uncertainty. If the structure of the metaverse is the same as the real world, our brains are immersed in the virtual world for a long time, which may confuse or tell us that this is the real world. No matter what we see and hear, we will fall into chaos.

In conclusion, it is worthy of recognition is that Meta-verse is a milestone in the progress of human science and technology, and it is also a key point in our continuous exploration of new life. The emergence of the meta-universe will make human life, education and employment more efficient and more convenient for sure. In the meta-universe, we can get rid of the shackles of the physical body, without gravity, freely shuttle in the world of the meta-universe, and at the same time experience various things in the real world.

At the same time, due to many uncertain factors and technical shortcomings, the meta-universe is still incomplete and perfect. We still need more researches and experiments on how we can truly distinguish between real events and the virtual reality world. At least for now, in terms of real objects, artificial intelligence, senses, and the brain, it needs to be effective in specific situations. But what is certain is that when the door of the meta universe is completely open, we will truly find a suitable method to distinguish.

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