Interview with Aaron Mcdonald, Founder of Futurverse
The Cryptonomist recently interviewed Aaron McDonald, the founder of Futurverse, during the Apex Developer Summit in Amsterdam. Futurverse is a metaverse built on the Ripple ledger and has a team of around 250-300 people spread across 16 countries. The company’s headquarters are located in Oakland, New Zealand and L.A., with team members primarily based in Japan, Colombia, and Germany.
Aaron spoke about Futurverse and its development during the summit. He mentioned that they have 4 million NFTs in their ecosystem, with 20 different collections and a wide range of content and experiences available.
Aaron also shared his perspective on what a metaverse truly is. According to him, the separation between the digital and physical worlds is artificial, as they are deeply interconnected. He believes that providing more experiences for customers through the integration of digital and physical elements is beneficial for enterprises.
Born Ready: A $50 Million Fund for Emerging Technology Companies
Aaron and Shara Senderoff recently launched “Born Ready,” a $50 million fund designed to invest in emerging technology companies. The fund aims to support founders at different stages of their journey across three main areas:
- Infrastructure: Funding projects that enhance the capabilities of the Ripple network, such as node infrastructure, wallets, and explorers.
- Tools: Supporting developers interested in building applications using Futurverse’s tools to integrate into their ecosystem.
- Experiences: Backing individuals or teams looking to create applications or experiences using the content available on Futurverse.
The Role of AI in Futurverse
Aaron highlighted the connection between AI and metaverse within the Futurverse platform. He emphasized the importance of community ownership of AI agents and models, similar to the ownership of financial infrastructures through blockchains. Additionally, data plays a crucial role in AI, and Aaron stressed the need to treat data with respect and ensure user privacy. The content created by AI in Futurverse is also designed to have co-ownership, provenance, and traceability on the blockchain.
Fifa Collaboration: Making Web3 Accessible
Aaron mentioned Futurverse’s collaboration with Fifa as an example of their strategy to make technology invisible and onboard users seamlessly. They developed a game called Fifa AI League, where players can own and train AI football players. Users can access the game through a mobile app, creating a blockchain account without even realizing it. The goal is to introduce users to Web3 through fun experiences and surprise them with the possibilities enabled by blockchain technology.
The Future of the Metaverse
Aaron believes that the hype around AI is synonymous with the metaverse hype. He disagrees with the notion that the metaverse hype has faded away and asserts that it continues to evolve and shape economies. He predicts a resurgence in people’s imagination triggered by advancements like Apple’s upcoming launch of Vision Pro. Aaron advises focusing on real growth beyond the hype, as that’s where true business opportunities lie.
FuturesPass: The Digital Passport to Futurverse
Futurverse offers “FuturesPass,” a digital passport for accessing their digital experiences. Users can onboard as Web3 natives or newcomers from social media or email/phone numbers. The passport allows them to create a smart on-chain account without worrying about private keys. The protocol behind FuturesPass is called Donuts, which functions similarly to cookies in Web2 but for privacy and permissioning in Web3.
Hot Take: The Future of the Metaverse and AI Integration
The metaverse and AI are intertwined concepts with immense potential for shaping our digital future. While some may argue that the metaverse hype has diminished, it continues to evolve and capture people’s imagination. Advancements in AI and the launch of Apple’s Vision Pro are expected to drive further growth and adoption. Futurverse’s focus on making technology seamless and introducing users through enjoyable experiences, such as their collaboration with Fifa, demonstrates the importance of accessibility in driving mainstream adoption. As we move forward, community ownership of AI models and data privacy will play a crucial role in creating a sustainable and inclusive metaverse.
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