The father of augmented reality warns of the ‘dark side’ of the metaverse: “Our environment will be filled with non-existent people”

Posted: 10 Nov 2021 08:03 GMT

Louis Rosenberg believes that disconnecting from the new virtual multiplicity will not be an option, in such a way that reality could disappear completely, since the limits with the fictitious would be imperceptible

Louis Rosenberg, the computer scientist who developed the first augmented reality system while working at the US Air Force Research Laboratory, warns in an article published in Big Think of the potential dangers posed by the metaverse.

The scientist believes that augmented reality will become the epicenter of all aspects of life this decade and is concerned about the negative consequences of the use of this enormous potential by platform providers. One of his biggest concerns lies in the eventual use of the potentialities of augmented reality to manipulate the sense of reality, reinforce the differences that already divide us and imbue us more and more in a single bubble that separates us from the collective reality.

“Augmented reality and the metaverse,” explains Rosenberg, “are media technologies that aim to present content in the most natural way possible, seamlessly integrating simulated images, sounds and even feelings into our perception of the real world.” “Our environment will be filled with people, places, objects and activities that, in reality, do not exist and yet they will seem profoundly authentic to us, “predicts the scientist.

One of the alerts is justified because the metaverse, like the other platforms, would work through filters that would control the information that we can see or not, so that there could be speech bubbles floating overhead of people, in the manner of labels, such as “alcoholic” or “immigrant”, “atheist” or “racist”, “democrat” or “republican”, that would be handled even without the knowledge of those people. This type of virtual overlays could be used, according to him, to amplify existing evils in today’s society, such as political division, group isolation and even to fuel hatred and mistrust.

When asked why the dangers of the metaverse would be greater than those of the platforms we know so far, the expert explains that, although media technologies have made us vulnerable, we still have the option to turn off our phones and to have authentic experiences in a real world. On the other hand, disconnecting from the metaverse is not going to be an option, and reality can disappear completely, since the limits with the fictitious would be imperceptible. In fact, the digital universe could even block reality, at the will of those who run the platforms.

“Augmented reality can be a force for good, to make the world a magical place and expand what it means to be human. But to protect ourselves against potential dangers, we must proceed with care and consideration, anticipating problems that could corrupt it. it should be an uplifting technology, “warns Rosenberg.