Artificial Intelligence or AI is all the buzz right now with new programs changing the way we do business. Another common word often mentioned is the “Metaverse.”
AVmedia has put together a task force that has been exploring new and exciting ways Meeting Planners will eventually be able to use the Metaverse to revolutionize their events. Let’s go straight to the team to hear about these ideas and maybe they can answer, WHAT THE HECK IS A METAVERSE?!
Can you start by explaining the Metaverse?
Xavier Cisneros, Sales Manager of Audio Visuals & Creative Services Onsite at Four Seasons Houston:
That is tough because there are so many answers, but I like to think of it as a “livable internet” or the next evolution of the internet. Instead of simply observing your computer screen from a desk chair, it’s like being inside your computer. The Metaverse allows you to be fully immersed and brings you closer to people and experiences. You can bring a diverse group of people together in a meeting or event without physical limitations.
What are some ways a Meeting Planner may be able to use the Metaverse?
Ryan Falline, Director of Innovation and Deployment: Imagine going on a site visit, but never leaving your office. Meeting Planners could put on headsets and step right into a ballroom, convention center, or meeting space and see the entire room as if they are standing in it. All the planning could be done with their team without stepping foot onsite. Many might want to still visit, but this could soon be an option.
Xavier: The Metaverse can also change how we hold meetings. A company that wants to host a smaller meeting without travel and food expenses could use the Metaverse. It is a huge step up from a virtual video chat platform and will be more engaging for employees. Nearly everyone can be remote. The presenters are the only ones who may need to be at the main location.
One of the many things we’re exploring is how the team at AVmedia can help create the virtual ballroom or meeting space. Then onsite, our team would send the content to remote attendees. These remote attendees will take a seat with their avatars like in real life. They can have virtual monitors or tablets of the presentation. They can resize it to their liking, raise or lower volumes, and with spatial audio, the feeling of presence is bigger and more immersive than ever before.
This could also eventually be done on a larger scale in a general session for instance. Your attendees walk into a regular ballroom, but once they put on their headsets, they are taken to a whole new location complete with virtual branding and photos from past events. You can look at another attendee and read their biography that they uploaded days before. There are so many possibilities with the Metaverse!
What is the AVmedia team doing now with the Metaverse?
Ryan: We have a task force that is doing research, trying new things, and exploring new ideas. That team includes me and Xavier, as well as Kayla Thoma, our Creative Director, and Brian Benigno, our Multimedia Designer.
Xavier: We hold our meetings in a virtual space using Quest 2’s and Quest Pros. We can share screens, notes, and presentations.
Ryan: The Metaverse is pretty impactful. We’ve been live streaming for years. Even before the pandemic, AVmedia family members were live streaming for our customers. This is the next level, and we want to get to a place where we can do this for our customers.
Xavier: I enjoy thinking about all the possibilities with the Metaverse. The meetings I previously mentioned already exist with current hardware and software. It is a bit fractured and convoluted though. It is our goal to untangle it and make it more accessible, scalable, and as much as we can, fail-proof.
The Metaverse sounds amazing. We can’t wait to see what the AVmedia task force comes up with!
What does the future hold for your next event?
Ryan Falline Xavier Cisneros
Director of Innovation & Deployment. Sales Manager of AV & Creative
Services, Four Seasons Houston
Kayla Thoma Brian Benigno
Creative Director Multimedia Designer
