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The digital era has significantly shaped both societal and economic dynamics, becoming the main force that drives changes and trends. Its presence is evident in our everyday lives, even in the highest levels of decision-making. With the ever-growing importance of the digital space, organizations have been pushed to maximize their presence in this field. The competitive nature of technology has motivated a move towards virtual worlds, which includes the metaverse.
Due to the overwhelming number of internet users worldwide (with an estimate of nearly 4.8 billion), the success of online shopping platforms, and the expansion of social communities in virtual spaces, it's fair to say that we are living in a digital world at this point. The user experience in our world is constantly changing and innovating, which makes it a necessity to enhance it further in an imaginative and creative way.
Saudi Arabia and the metaverse At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, His Excellency Eng. Abdullah Al-Sawaha, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, addressed the scope of the metaverse and mega projects in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom has embraced the potential of the metaverse in its quest to promote the country's social and economic prosperity, in-line with Vision 2030's targets and strategy. To this end, it has approved a plan to leverage these capabilities for progress since the innumerable returns and benefits have already started to show results even in the planning and development stage.
The implications of the metaverse world are both powerful and long-lasting and the latest report from Strategy& substantiates the fact that investments in the metaverse will be profitable. According to projections, by 2030, the technology is expected to contribute around $15 billion to GCC economies every year. This would be mainly driven by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with their respective shares estimated at $7.6 billion and $3.3 billion respectively.
Visual appeal As for the aesthetic and practical value of the metaverse, it is represented in its ability to provide a highly interactive user interface between human and computer, to provide a streamlined, immersive, and tangible experience that simulates actual reality to the extent that it makes the virtual world a parallel reality.
For example, you can visit a construction site of a building virtually, and see the workflow, the interior design, and the services that it will provide even before the tender for the project is signed. Using technology, companies are able to anticipate the challenges and obstacles that may face the project and work to address them. On the other hand, investors will be able to experience and interact within the building they are looking to purchase, which can be an added benefit since it will be able to improve their level of due diligence, reduce errors, and decrease costs.
The metaverse has already started revolutionizing the way we work, plan, design, construct, shop, and travel. So it’s imperative to deliver a remarkable user experience in this world to make the most of its potential. The user's experience with this will have a great influence on what choices they make in the future and will eventually shape their career and life path as well.
Investing in a virtual world at the global level provides users with an immersive and highly interactive experience, which is impossible to quantify. The reward of this investment could be far-reaching and unlimited. The metaverse could offer Saudis some exciting opportunities, such as virtual tours, festivals and fashion shows. Additionally, people can also visit health resorts and experience sports and entertainment events from the comfort of their homes. Also, the metaverse can be used to store memories and precious experiences which you can look back upon at any time for a delightful trip down memory lane.
Crafting a unique user experience in the metaverse means bringing together talents and expertise from various backgrounds such as psychology, graphic design, information engineering, user experience and content strategy. To reach Saudi Arabia’s ambitions of success and a prosperous future, it’s crucial for society to learn and adopt new technologies as they will help shape the Kingdom in both real and virtual realms. |
