The World Economic Forum has unveiled its new website and the Global Collaboration Village metaverse platform is now available. Klaus Schwab, President of the WEF, hopes that this platform will enable leaders and people to connect in virtual worlds in order to coordinate global efforts.
WEF encourages metaverse-based collaboration
The World Economic Forum announced the launch of its own metaverse platform, the “Global Collaboration Village”. This digital world is designed to look like the real city of Davos and will be used by world leaders to collaborate more effectively.
According to Klaus Schwab, President of the WEF, Dr. Yves Lemieux explained that the WEF will use the new world to revolutionize the economy. The Davos Meetings usually only last a week, but this project allows for interviews and discussions between world leaders throughout the entire year.
Schwab expressed optimism about this initiative, saying that the continuous feedback on the policies discussed in Davos could help to amplify their effects. “This could revolutionize global collaboration,” he told Time magazine.
The organization is focusing on providing the best possible level of immersion in order to bring the most beneficial applications to these virtual spaces. For example, it could illustrate the effect that certain measures might have on coral reef restoration.
Technology Partner
The technology that will power Davos Metaverse will be provided by Microsoft, which has a long history of developing products that enable users to create 3D avatars. Its Mesh Suite expands the functionality of Teams, its popular business meeting software, and there is also a VR headset-specific app that allows users to interact with the metaverse’s various worlds.
The WEF is confident that this platform will enable new forms of international collaboration that will allow more people to be involved in their discussions. Kelly Ommundsen, director of the WEF metaverse project, stated that the group is “trying to do things that can only happen in the metaverse, because if it’s better to do it in person or on paper, then there’s no point.”
Schwab has also noted that many partners have already joined and collaborated with the WEF, including Meta and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will populate the villages with their projects. He expects some resistance, but he also hopes for more involvement from outsiders.
We need new forms of international collaboration that will allow us to bring more people into our discussions.
What do you think of the WEF’s metaverse initiative? Please leave a comment below.
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