I first entered the metaverse in 1992 when I was young.
My cousin had lent me his copy of Snow Crash, where Neal Stephenson coined the term that now permeates our headlines. In the book, he describes a profoundly mature metaverse, filled with elaborate systems and cultures.
That vision stuck with me like a Kourier harpoon to a Deliverator door. Thirty years later, we are finally bringing the metaverse to life. Today, however, I see things differently, especially as I look ahead to Hyperledger Global Forum next week.
My vision for the metaverse is one of responsibility. Because we are not only the ones exploring the metaverse—we are helping to build it. The Metaverse is the Next Evolution of the Internet. At Accenture, we think of the metaverse as a continuum: a spectrum of digitally enhanced worlds, experiences and business models poised to transform the next 10 years. It’s set to change every aspect of business, from payments and customer experience to manufacturing and supply chains.
But all this relies on one thing: trust. Adoption and acceptance hinge on our ability to get it right. That means we need to design the metaverse with responsibility at the core. Trust is contingent on safety, privacy, security, sustainability, equity, inclusion, accessibility, well being and more.
I am excited that our Hyperledger community will be at the forefront of shaping the metaverse as the next evolution of the Internet. Hyperledger Global Forum creates a unique opportunity for us to come together and explore the opportunities ahead of us. And as the global chair of the foundation, my goal is to collaborate with all of your to design a responsible metaverse.
Whether you specialize in blockchain or not, I firmly believe this is a must-attend event for anyone who wants to carve out their place in the creation of the metaverse. We welcome you to stop by the Accenture booth in the Expo area, where our Metaverse Continuum team and Hyperledger project maintainers will be showcasing some of our solutions and eager to explore what this new future means for you and your business.
The work begins now
When a friend asks Hiro, the main character of Snow Crash, whether he won a swordfight in the metaverse, he responds:
“Of course. […] I’m the greatest sword fighter in the world.”
“And you wrote the software,” the friend chides.
“Yeah. That, too,” he concedes.
