The internet yesterday, today and tomorrow
The internet is constantly evolving. We have lived through its infancy, known as Web 1.0, where people primarily read text and looked at images. This was a time when the internet was mainly a source of information, and interactivity was limited. Then came the “social” Web 2.0, which enabled users to connect with one another and produce their own content, leading to the rise of social media platforms, blogs, and video sharing sites. This gave rise to giant tech companies and a highly centralised web. Now, we enter the era of Web 3.0 – the decentralised internet, where users are not merely mined for their data but become creators with the right to digital ownership (NFTs), the ability to create their own money on the blockchain (cryptocurrency) and the power to create with much greater ease what they want and imagine (AI).
So, what are the main pillars of Web 3.0?
Recent advancements in technology have made Web 3.0 a tangible reality. This next generation of the internet is built upon several key innovations that have emerged over the past decade.
Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: It all likely began with a single white paper – the one penned by the enigmatic Satoshi Nakamoto when he/she/they created Bitcoin. This innovation was revolutionary, allowing people to make direct transactions to each other without the need for intermediaries such as banks. Thus, the decentralisation of the web commenced. This breakthrough has since given birth to a multitude of cryptocurrencies and blockchain platforms, each with their own unique features and applications.
NFTs and Digital Ownership: Next came NFTs, which resolved the longstanding issue of digital ownership. In Web 2.0, there was no way to claim something digital with proven provenance. Any digital content one produced was free for anyone to use and was often “owned” by large corporations when posted on their platforms. Now, anyone can prove their creation or ownership of a certain piece of digital intellectual property, paving the way for a new era of digital art, collectibles, and unique digital assets.
AR/VR and Immersive Technology: Meanwhile, another pillar of Web 3.0 was being developed – AR/VR. Although still in its early stages, this technology has demonstrated that screens may soon be consigned to history, much like audio cassettes and CDs. With the rapid evolution of AR/VR technology, we can expect to see affordable, lightweight wearable devices offering incredible experiences. These technologies have the potential to revolutionise industries such as gaming, education, healthcare, and even social interaction.
Advanced Gaming Engines: The engines that run virtual environments and games have also experienced rapid progress. With developments like Unreal Engine 5, it is now possible to immerse oneself in a photorealistic world – a world that is virtually indistinguishable from reality. These advancements open up new possibilities for storytelling, artistic expression, and entertainment.
Artificial Intelligence: Lastly, the final piece of the puzzle was released to the public – AI GPT. While Web 3.0 was still possible without it, this powerful AI has expanded the possibilities for creating and experiencing new worlds, limited only by our imagination. AI will play a crucial role in shaping Web 3.0, enabling more personalised and context-aware experiences, automating complex tasks, and giving rise to entirely new applications.
How will it look and feel?
We are still in the very beginning of Web 3.0, so we can only speculate about its eventual appearance and feel. It will likely be a space that is difficult to distinguish from the real world. As wearable technology, haptic gloves and suits, robotic enhancements, and other immersive devices continue to evolve, people will become increasingly enveloped in virtual worlds, with experiences that closely resemble those in the “real” world (although the nature of reality itself remains a topic of debate among physicists).
Upon donning your wearables, you will be able to enter various worlds, whether they are accurate replicas of our own world, alternate versions, or entirely different realms. You will have the ability to create your own environments and playgrounds – currently known as the Metaverse. In this new digital landscape, AI-driven NFTs will interact with you, taking on the appearance and behaviour of real people, animals, or even extraterrestrials. These NFTs will have their own stories and lives within these worlds, allowing users to trade, teach, modify their properties, or utilise them for various needs and purposes.
Our vision of Web 3
Imagine, for a moment, that you are an educator with a deep-rooted passion for teaching students and providing them with the finest information and skills the world has to offer. As you embark on this journey, you put on your VR glasses, settle comfortably into your seat, and equip your hands with the necessary creation tools to bring your vision to life. Your first step is to enter the build mode, where you enlist the expertise of five NFT builders who specialise in constructing virtual environments within the Metaverse. You task them with designing a digital space tailored specifically for education, ensuring that it aligns with your vision and objectives.
While the NFT builders work diligently on your virtual school, you turn your attention to recruiting and training AI-NFT teachers. To do this, you collaborate with specialised AI-NFT studios that offer pre-trained models designed for educational purposes. These AI-NFTs have already been trained on a set of data relevant to the subjects you want your students to learn. As you interact with these virtual teachers, you provide further guidance and training, outlining their roles and responsibilities within your virtual school. Some will serve as traditional educators, while others will demonstrate practical skills, and still others will monitor the teaching process and offer valuable feedback. There will also be AI-NFTs tasked with observing the students and generating ideas to enhance their learning experience. With this talented team of teachers and administrative staff in place, your virtual school now mirrors the educational utopia you had always envisioned.
As you proudly stroll through the halls of your newly-created school, you marvel at the exceptional environment and classes you have designed. Passers-by in the Metaverse, drawn in by the promotional materials crafted by your AI-NFT marketing team, become intrigued and venture inside to learn more. Upon entering, you can choose to personally guide them on a tour of the school, or delegate this responsibility to a host AI-NFT you have recently hired. At every stage, you maintain ultimate control, deciding what to teach the students, whether to take on some of the teaching yourself or rely on the highly skilled AI-NFT teachers, and how closely to monitor and interact with the students.
After a successful year, you find that your involvement in the school has gradually diminished, and you begin to seek new challenges. Fortunately, the advanced technologies at your disposal enable you to leave the school to operate autonomously, with the AI teachers continuing to educate and the AI administrators managing the day-to-day operations. Drawing upon the wealth of data you have accumulated over the year, you can now create a new AI-NFT to serve as the school’s principal. With this addition, your virtual school can run entirely independently, granting you the freedom to embark on your next creative endeavour.
Will it be very different than Web 2.0?
Web 3.0 promises to be a profound departure from Web 2.0, not only in terms of technological capabilities but also in the underlying ways it empowers users. The transition from a centralised to a decentralised internet marks a new era of digital ownership, creative freedom, and immersive experiences. This represents a significant break from the constraints of Web 2.0, where users were predominantly consumers of content rather than active creators and owners.
Moreover, the seamless integration of AR/VR, AI, and blockchain technologies will create a more dynamic and engaging digital landscape. Users will be able to navigate and interact with virtual environments that are more realistic and personalised than ever before. This new era of the internet will redefine how we understand and engage with digital spaces, transforming the online experience into something more akin to the “real” world.
Web 3.0 represents a bold new chapter in the evolution of the internet. By combining cutting-edge technologies and fostering a spirit of creativity, it will reshape the digital landscape and redefine our relationship with the online world. As we move forward into this brave new realm, we must embrace the possibilities it offers while remaining mindful of the challenges and potential pitfalls that lie ahead. Together, we can harness the power of Web 3.0 to create a more inclusive, empowering, and immersive online experience for all.
As we continue to explore the vast potential of Web 3.0, we must also consider the ethical implications and potential risks associated with these new technologies. Issues such as privacy, data security, and the digital divide may become more pronounced as we delve deeper into the Metaverse and create new forms of digital ownership.
One key challenge will be striking a balance between reaping the benefits of decentralisation and ensuring that the digital space remains equitable and accessible to all. As the power dynamics shift from large corporations to individual users, we must take care to avoid creating new forms of inequality or exclusion.
Furthermore, as the line between the virtual and the real world becomes increasingly blurred, we will need to examine the potential impact of immersive digital experiences on our mental and emotional well-being. Navigating these uncharted territories will require careful thought, ongoing dialogue, and a commitment to learning from both successes and mistakes.
In the end, the potential of Web 3.0 is vast and full of opportunity. By embracing change and working together to address the challenges ahead, we can build a more connected, innovative, and immersive future for the internet. The world of Web 3.0 promises to be an exciting journey, and we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of what it has to offer.
Contact us if you need AI education or are interested in our AI-NFT Web 3 studio.
