The Data Must Flow: Metaverse Edition

What role data and metadata will play for the metaverse to succeed? Ownership, usage and adoption of the data & data policies will also be covered

- Nikhil Kurhe

The beginning of the Metaverse is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the year 2031. The known Metaverse is dominated by the BigTech combine, our overseer. In this time the most precious substance in the Metaverse is our data. The data extends record profits. The data expands their AI’s consciousness. The data is vital to an ad driven metaverse economy. BigTech’s ability to refine data has evolved over 40 years and they use our data to provide even deeper targeted ads that are to target any user in the known Metaverse and beyond.

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, the data that BigTech uses is created in its entirety by us. A select few of us on the Metaverse have long held a prophecy that a better, more equitable version of the Metaverse would come built on open, interoperable protocols, that would lead us to create true impact and have control and sovereignty over our data.

If this opening sounds familiar, it’s my take on the original Dune’s opening, for in the current mainstream Metaverse narrative, the data must truly flow. I’ve always been a science fiction and fantasy buff and Dune has been one of those classics for me. I’m no Paul Atreides though, just a humble data engineer who’s trying to build a better internet with aligned incentives and an information collateral driven economy. I also happen to be a big XR fan and relative early adopter tinkering with a few projects on OpenXR with my VR headset. If what you’ve read so far is a little too much to digress, take a minute. From my unique lens, in the rest of the article, I will be covering what role data/metadata will play for the concept of Metaverse to succeed. I will also touch on what regulations we have today around the metaverse and our data in India and abroad and lastly, my take on an ideal Metaverse. So let’s dig in.