a16z Podcast Neal Stephenson on The Future of the Metaverse
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Nov 22, 2022 
Neal Stephenson, the visionary science fiction writer behind Snow Crash, discusses the birth of the metaverse he conceived decades ago. He dives into the realities of building Lamina1, a blockchain aimed at creators. Topics include the challenges of VR/AR, the need for interoperability, and how AI intersects with intellectual property in the digital world. Stephenson also explores technology's dual nature—its potential for utopia or dystopia—and draws inspiration for his work while emphasizing the societal implications of emerging technologies.
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Sci-fi as a Roadmap
- Sci-fi novels can be better roadmaps for companies than traditional strategies.
- They offer a shared vision, reducing coordination overhead like meetings.
Defining Metaverse
- Anything used extensively today isn't truly "metaverse," as the term implies the "next big thing."
- True metaverse is singular; discussions of "a" metaverse miss the core concept.
Interoperability Concerns
- Game developers have valid engineering and aesthetic concerns about interoperability.
- Some games prioritize coherent worlds, others mashup; both can exist.
