Metaverse

 What is a metaverse?

A metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on a social connection (Wikipedia).

The metaverse is “an integrated network of 3D virtual worlds.” These worlds are accessed through a virtual reality headset — users navigate the metaverse using their eye movements, feedback controllers, or voice commands.

A metaverse is also a combination between the real world and the virtual world.

There are two ways to talk about the Metaverse: a metaverse and the Metaverse

= Once you put on the headset, you’re not separated from the world around you,

Collocations of the Metaverse

- A metaverse company e.g. Meta

Use Cases

- Musicians and entertainment labels are experimenting with hosting concerts in the metaverse. 

= The sports industry is following suit, with top franchises like Manchester City building virtual stadiums so fans can watch games and, presumably, purchase virtual merchandise.

- Perhaps the farthest-reaching opportunities for the metaverse will be in online learning.

Questions about the Metaverse

- While VR is considered a key ingredient of the metaverse recipe, entrance to the metaverse is not (and should not) be limited to having a VR headset.

Can chatbots think and make decisions like humans?

Can chatbots think and make decisions?

Janpha Thadphoothon

Can chatbots think? Many students feel so. A recent survey shows that 3/4 of university students said that an AI chatbot by the name of English-X could think and make decisions.

ENGLISH-X is a conversation agent powered by Google's Dialogflow AI technology with the aim to promote English language teaching and learning. English-X is designed and programmed by Asst. Prof. Dr. Janpha Thadphoothon, Business English Program, Dhurakij Pundit University. in Bangkok, Thailand

This is the script of the conversation between a human and a chatbot (19 Oct 2022).

Human: Are you happy?

English-X: I can be sad and happy at the same time. By the way., are you happy?

Human: Yes.

\

English-X:  The world will be a better place if they know that you are a happy person.

\

Human: I am sure.

\

English-X: Please complete your sentence.

Human: I am sure that you are a good person.

English-X: Thanks, I try.

One cannot help but think that this chatbot can think to some degree or extent.

This is part of classroom research titled “A Survey of University Students’ Attitudes About AI Chatbots”.

One of the survey questions is: 

“I personally feel that English-X (an AI chatbot) has the ability to think and make decisions.” 

There are five choices for a group of 47 students to choose from (Strongly Agree, Agree, Not Sure, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree). They are all Thai university students.

I would like to share this interesting finding. The data from the recent survey (October 18thm 2022) reveals that the majority of the students feel that English-X (an AI chatbot powered by Dialogflow CX) has some human-like qualities.

This finding may provide support for the movement toward the use of intelligent machines in business and education.