KSA’s XVRS: Cognition at the Heart of the Metaverse
The future is cognitive, and NEOM is here to ensure it. And despite being a project in KSA, it is actually a global project above all else. But NEOM’s projects go beyond the realm of reality to delve into one of this era’s main focal points, the metaverse. But a little more complex. In fact, earlier this month, the Saudi company’s first subsidiary, NEOM Tech & Digital Company, announced its own cognitive metaverse, XVRS, at Saudi Arabia’s flagship technology event LEAP. Now you may wonder what is so special about this metaverse that we wrote an article. Well, read on and find out!
The announcement is a part of NEOM Tech & Digital Company’s nearly US$ 1 billion investment in hyperconnected, autonomous solutions and AI-driven products that will give them a competitive edge and enable the emergence of the next generation of cognitive businesses and cities.
XVRS? What is That?
XVRS will be the first project of its kind, a 3D cognitive digital twin platform enabling a ground-breaking “mixed-reality” urban living model. So, it will make it possible for the virtual and physical worlds to coexist without interruption by fusing digital and physical architectures with hyperconnected technologies and AI features. The aim here is to provide users with “multiple points of view” and the ability to appear as an avatar, hologram, or robotic avatar in various locations throughout the metaverse in real-time (via teleportation).
XVRS’ Features
XVRS has three main engines. The first one allows people to create digital versions of physical assets. The second is an integrated, mixed reality engine, which means the user can show up as a hologram and show up there physically, and vice versa. The third is a marketplace, allowing people to buy and sell digital content. This cognitive metaverse has seven core features:
- Dynamic Digital Twins: Live Cognitive virtual versions of real-world locations
- Gamified Experience: Built-in exploration and entertainment features
- Real-time Translation: Instant language translation built into the experience
- Social Platform: Matching profiles of people and fostering interactions
- Digital Marketplace: Built-in crypto and NFT digital asset platform
- Immersive Mixed Reality: Enabling simultaneous presence in physical and digital worlds
- Humanoid robotic Avatars: Use and interact with humanoid robotic avatars
And the Funding?
Having people living physically in NEOM will be optional for Saudi Arabia’s futuristic $500 billion giga-project to generate money. NEOM is targeting people abroad to experience its XVRS, a digital twin of NEOM accessible to all for a charge.
The project is now attracting both domestic and foreign investment, says Joseph Bradley, CEO of NEOM’s subsidiary Tech & Digital, and will soon be able to export its technology across the globe.
Additionally, last year, Oracle made headlines for being the first tenant of a new hyperscale data center in NEOM.
And Data Privacy?
To ease growing concerns about the so-called “data privacy paradox,” in which users of tech, particularly on social media, have their personal information appropriated and used without their full knowledge, NEOM will have cutting-edge safeguards.
According to Bradley, data sharing worries about 80 percent of people. They are disclosing an increasing amount of information, be it knowingly or unknowingly.
The answer will be M3LD, NEOM’s ground-breaking end-to-end consent management platform, which is a component of the city’s $1 billion investment in AI-based goods. The world will witness its release sometime in the first quarter of 2023.
While simultaneously enhancing value for data controllers or third parties, who wish to use the data, the platform will give consumers control over how their personal data is used and reward them accordingly.
So, It’s a Fancy Metaverse. And?
It’s not JUST a fancy metaverse. This project could single-handedly put Saudi Arabia ahead of all other countries and companies in the metaverse race. They would be literally beating them to the punch. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, NEOM, its international partners, and cities worldwide could benefit from the significant economic opportunity that the company’s own cognitive metaverse presents.
Will it need massive capital to research and develop the technology? Absolutely. Do they have such capital? Not exactly. See, KSA is known for preferring to keep things on the down low until the knockout punch. But the mere fact that they went public with such marvelous and one-of-a-kind plans signifies their willingness to share the knowledge. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved: NEOM gets the capital, and the rest of the world gets the technology.
Final Thoughts
Those behind the various project are some of the most brilliant minds of our day and age. Profits aside, the success of this project will forever redefine Saudi Arabia’s credibility on the global Web3 stage. They would forever be known as the intellect behind the technology. We speak of Nikola Tesla, Henry Ford, and Alexander Graham Bell to this day. Could you imagine what they could achieve if they managed to merge this technology with quantum computing, the supercomputer’s juiced-up older brother?
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Web3 section to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.