Metaverse News

The College of Architecture and Planning at King Abdulaziz University has recently revealed its latest project, “Building in the Metaverse.”

This innovative project offers an interactive and engaging experience for faculty and students in the education field. Ahmed Khoja and Abdulaziz Hashem, both students, used virtual reality technology to create a fully immersive environment.

According to Hashem, colleges and universities have not yet fully embraced the concept, but they may explore its potential in creating virtual classrooms and lecture halls.

According to Khoja, the project is in line with the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which aims to improve the quality of life, strengthen cultural infrastructure like museums, promote tourism, and help Saudi artists expand their reach globally. Despite the difficulties, Hashem and Khoja believe that these technologies can significantly reduce material costs.

The Metaverse is a virtual reality world where users can interact with each other in an immersive environment, transcending the limitations of the physical world. It includes multiplayer video games that allow players to come together, compete, and collaborate in virtual worlds. It can also be used for education, socializing, exhibitions, and online commerce. The Metaverse has the potential to accommodate an unlimited number of participants and facilitate the display and sale of products using digital currencies.

According to a study by Strategy&, a management consulting company, the metaverse is expected to contribute $15 billion to the economies of the Gulf countries by 2030 given that their governments are tapping into the virtual space.

Saudi Arabia topped the GCC countries in terms of metaverse contributions, as it is predicted to account for $7.6 billion by 2030 (more than half of the figure). While, the UAE came second with an expected share of $3.3 billion.

Italian fashion brand Gucci recently introduced its new creative director, Sabato de Sarno, with a unique approach. The brand recreated its Milan Fashion Week runway show on three virtual platforms in the metaverse – Zepeto, Roblox, and QQ, alongside the live show on September 22.

The fashion collection, called “Ancora,” an encore in Italian, was initially planned to be showcased near the Accademia di Brera, a well-known fine arts university in Milan. Unfortunately, unfavorable weather conditions forced the organizers to move the event indoors.

Nevertheless, the virtual version of the show remained faithful to the original concept, enabling people from all over the world to participate and engage without being affected by weather issues.

Gucci’s permanent experience on the Roblox platform was updated to resemble the physical location of the show in the Brera district. Additionally, the fashion brand provided three mini-games that visitors could play during the virtual show to win limited edition rewards.

The Zepeto platform live-streamed Gucci’s runway show and incorporated features from Brera and the show into its Gucci Ancora space. Users could even buy items from the physical show for their avatars from a virtual Gucci store.

Additionally, the Chinese social platform QQ hosted a screening for its Gucci community to participate in. Over the past few years, the luxury brand has delved into the crypto, NFT, and metaverse worlds. Since 2021, it has worked with Roblox and released a digital version of its Dionysus handbag on the metaverse gaming platform. The NFT accessories originally cost $6 per piece but have since skyrocketed to as high as $4,000, surpassing the cost of their physical counterparts.

In May 2022, the company announced that it would now accept crypto payments in at least five US-based stores, with plans to extend the service to all 111 locations in the US and Canada.

In March 2023, Gucci teamed up with Yuga Labs, the creators of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), following the launch of the Gucci Vault Metaverse on another gaming platform, the Sandbox.

Robbie Williams, a popular British singer-songwriter, has announced his entry into the web3 space by partnering with LightCycle, an AI-powered lifestyle metaverse platform.

He is all set to perform his 25th-anniversary live show in the metaverse, offering fans a 3D experience and further enhancing his legacy through digital means. LightCycle, scheduled to launch in Q4 of 2023, aims to become the ultimate destination for art, film, gaming, music, fashion, sport, property, and retail in the web3 space.

The virtual city boasts hyper-realistic visuals and employs AI technology to enable users, businesses, and brands to create commercial installations or purchase land and other digital assets.

A preview of the Robbie Williams metaverse event will be unveiled at the EDGE Global Web3 and AI Investment Summit in Hong Kong on September 26 and 27 as part of LightCycle’s preview night. LightCycle’s presentation will feature an augmented-reality showcase, with further details to be announced shortly.

“Staying connected with my fans has always been important to me. I’m fascinated by the web3 space — it’s full of creativity and mind-blowing potential. It’s also a big new market for music and discovery,” Robbie Williams said.

Sara Ezen, the CEO of LightCycle, expressed excitement about bringing Robbie’s devoted fanbase an enhanced concert experience with their state-of-the-art technology. She believes the concert is a unique and special event that LightCycle can provide a home for, allowing both old and new fans to engage with Robbie in a next-level interaction.

The collaboration between Williams and Vertexlabs.uk is a major achievement for Vertexlabs.uk’s AI-powered virtual world platform called LightCycle. This partnership also signifies a natural progression in Williams’ career, which started with his recent composition, “Angels (Beethoven AI),” assisted by AI technology.

The Sharjah Police is taking its cybercrime awareness campaign up by launching a new platform on the metaverse.

The interactive website features contact details to report crimes, real e-crime videos, and educational games that cater to people of all ages, especially children.

The platform replicates the physical installation at Al Zahia City Centre, making it more accessible to the public. Sharjah Police received 351 cybercrime reports from January to June this year, which is a significant increase from the 117 reported in the same period last year.

Omar Ahmed Abu Alzoud, the director of criminal investigations at Sharjah Police, stated that the total amount of money stolen through online fraud is in the millions. The amount varies from individual losses of Dh500 [$136] to tens and hundreds of thousands in other cases.

According to Saif Al Shamsi, the commander-in-chief of Sharjah Police, the increase in reports of e-crimes suggests that the public is becoming more aware of the risks associated with them. He credited younger employees who are proficient in technology for creating an updated e-crimes awareness platform.

One of the platform’s features is a digital version of Snakes and ladders, designed to educate players about cyber safety. When landing on a square with a snake, players are warned of online behavior that could make them a victim of e-crime. The squares feature illustrations inspired by new e-crime trends, like misleading and fake Instagram ads.

The platform covers various cybercrimes, including online extortion, electronic fraud, hacking, electronic plagiarism, and phone fraud.