I’ve got my own headaches with NFTs this week; to be honest, they’re lovely headaches to have. Being able to understand new tech as it evolves is one of the keys to keeping tech prescient. Don’t you agree? Something new is happening in the crypto space too - this winter is finally abating. And, the hype of AI is finally chilling with a glass of something nice or a fruit flavoured vape. Whatever AI is doing, everyone has stopped jizzing over it and they’re now realising that shit got real.
🧠Virtual (In)Sanity🤯
China's digital embrace has grown ever stronger! Yes, just like Jeff Fahey in Lawnmower Man digital is becoming an unstoppable force, thank the universe, kind of. This article, much like how things went bad for Jobe, is a bit of a double edged sword. Reports reveal that a digital ID system, akin to its social credit system, might step into the metaverse arena. China Mobile, the state-owned telecom giant, suggested a digital ID for metaverse users. Think "natural" and "social" traits blended in. This virtual ID could curb chaos, ID troublemakers, and even store job info. An echo of the social credit system? This is a double edged sword: on the one hand, it’s good to be digital, but I would feel so much more comforted if this digital passport was blockchain backed tather than state-owned. Wouldn’t you?
👗Re-Ee-Tail👠
While media insists on pumping those hard earned marketing dollars into traditional advertising like billboards and bloody Vogue; something is bubbling and thank the metaverse. Ralph Lauren's on a totally different runway. Elizabeth Arden has a fancy new (but probably unusable platform), Pinko announced theirs last week; and now CEO Patrice Louvet has spilled the beans on their metaverse moves. Avatars in American casuals? You got it! Ralph Lauren's strutting into Fortnite, with real-world versions coming too. Introducing products via the metaverse before the real world? Did we read that right? I’ve definitely been playing this song for a couple of years now and it’s finally happening. Retail is gonna take a million years to catch up but finally, it’s rewiring its shopping game!
⬅️Swivel-eyed Loons😵💫
Are AI language models playing politics? Let me be clear. A study claims ChatGPT carries a "significant and sizeable" left-leaning bias. That’s a robust claim. Researchers say its text might sway readers politically. Read my lips. The critics are stepping up, saying the methodology might have missed the mark. Ich bin ein Berliner. ChatGPT, are you singing the lefty tune? It looks like this might be something of a poorly executed report anyway with one Princeton University research suggesting there were flaws in how this had been put together. Remind us once again that in technology, as in most decent public houses, there is no space for religion or politics.
🦙Get Your Drama Llama Off My Lawn🧑💻
Meta AI unveils Code Llama an AI coding tool born from the Llama2 model. This feels a bit like an advertising pitch, but go on…. For devs who speak Python, Java, and more, it's like music to your coding ears. Best part? It's open to the community, meaning even small crypto projects can level up their code game. Let me stop you there. Technology behemoths Meta are more of a wolf in sheep’s clothing than a community-driven moon landing moment. Again with this organised tech religion nonsense. Please, take the cosplay outfit off guys—you are an advertising platform and you want our data. The sooner you are honest with yourselves is the sooner you will be honest with us.
💃My Bias is Sasaeng🎶
K-Pop sensation BLACKPINK's getting its virtual palace within Roblox. Jennie fans rejoice! Lisa fans, assemble! The other 2’s fans do whatever! Get ready for a grand virtual party with the usual collection of nonsense: light sticks, selfies, hi-touch and all that jazz. We did something similar a few years ago in the west with the Meta Daisies, it was in Avakin Life and let me remind you that over a million visitors attended that fan-event so do the math! Fighting!
💣Boom Town🤑
ZTX, the Web3 wunderkind from Naver’s Zepeto, has dropped a metaverse bomb! They've launched the much-awaited NFT drop "ZTX Genesis Home Mint" in collaboration with OpenSea. 4,000 exclusive NFT homes await, each tailored to different districts: fashion, gaming, finance, and art. A creative home, governance rights, and it’s all redeemable in Zepeto. Do you know what really threw me a curveball though? The presale went in a few minutes. If you ever wanted to assess your metaverse against the marketplace, that’s the PERFECT way to do it. I just wish some of these other platforms would take notice instead of staring into the void of their own egos.
That’s enough metaverse for this week. I’ve got a keynote to write for More Than Games as part of Scottish Games Week this October/November. Will you be there? Tickets are on sale now.
Do Something Less Boring
Looking for a way to increase productivity whilst grinding on Hay Day? I got u.
Suck at art? Suck no more! Night Cafe is ace.
Shy people rejoice - there’s an AI for your video presentations now too.
If you’re raising funds, there’s nothing worse than taking a knife to a gunfight. Get informed!
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