The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China will form a task force to set the standards for the metaverse sector.
China has joined the race to be the global standards-setter for new immersive technology with Australia, which is seeking to be a “leader of the safe metaverse”.
The Chinese Ministry has also released a draft proposal to form a working group for immersive technology and shared virtual worlds accessible via the internet, Reuters reports.
Also read: Meta’s Clegg Reiterates: “Metaverse is The Next Evolution”
The metaverse is lined up with nine emerging tech sectors in China, which should strive to establish standards.
The Chinese government body has defined the metaverse as “an integrated innovation combining various cutting-edge technologies”.
China's industry ministry to work on standards for developments in metaverse field
Sept 18 (Reuters) – China issued a draft rule to work on standards for development in the metaverse sector, China's Industry and Information Technology said in a draft rule issued on Monday.…
— Meanwhile in China (@MeanwhileinCN) September 18, 2023
The Asian tech leader also believes this technology will boost the digital economy through many innovative business models and new business opportunities.
The metaverse has gained unprecedented hype in recent times, especially after Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitious decision to rename Facebook Inc. into Meta Platforms Inc. in October 2021.
However, the tech industry has suddenly shifted towards generative AI, notable after the launch of ChatGPT.
Despite the shift in momentum, the industry leader believes that the metaverse is here to stay.
Standards in the metaverse
Standards Australia, a self-declared independent, non-profit organization, released a whitepaper titled ‘The Metaverse and Standard’ back in May.
The metaverse has the potential to generate up to $5 trillion US dollars by 2030, the white paper predicts.
The Australian non-profit has described the metaverse as “interconnected virtual worlds that enable users to explore new places, interact with other consumers, and experience new things in an immersive digital environment.”
The whitepaper, written by a team led by Dr. Catriona Wallace, founder of The Responsible and Metaverse Alliance (RMA), suggests standards should be built around the rights to experiential authenticity, emotional privacy, behavioral privacy, and human agency.
“Generative AI used to operate avatars in the ‘dark metaverse’, also known as the ‘Darkverse’, has been used to groom and blackmail children, exposing the serious dangers of an unpoliced and unregulated metaverse. Immediate regulation and monitoring are necessary to prevent such crimes,” said Wallace.
Not just in Australia and China, tech titans are also funding a metaverse open standards group.
A consolidation of 36 companies and organizations, including Microsoft, Epic Games, and Meta, has established the “Metaverse Standards Forum.”
This forum aims to promote the development of open and interoperable standards for augmented and virtual reality, geospatial technology, and 3D technology within the metaverse.
What is Metaverse Standard?
The Metaverse Standard, aims to define complex asset formats using recursion, including game items and animations.
It promotes open-source formats, encouraging creativity and collaboration. This framework manages usage rights and royalties, offering control and profit opportunities, according to Sterling Mallory Archer, a software developer.
“Web3 needs a universal protocol that establishes a shared asset for everyone to use. This protocol would be followed by game developers and application creators, ensuring that ownership of this asset becomes a permanent resource in the Web3 world,” wrote Archer.
Using Metaverse Standard of BRC-420, attributes can be defined for inscriptions of all types (images, models and animations).
E.g. Furnitures or cars in Bitmap Explorer can have proper sizes/functions etc., enabling a full Metaverse experience.
2/4 pic.twitter.com/8661Lcsire
— Recursiverse (@rcsvio) September 19, 2023
It’s similar to owning a car, which allows you to travel anywhere. If you own an avatar, you can use it in any virtual world. Even if a specific game disappears, the asset you own will still exist in other metaverses indefinitely, suggests Archer.
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