The single society in the metaverse era: virtual digital people usher in spring

Author / Far

"Single society" is a global phenomenon.

According to the data report released by iMedia Consulting in 2021, starting from 2019, the single population in major countries around the world accounted for more than 20% of the total population, among which Sweden's single population ratio was as high as 51%. China's single population is 240 million (2018), close to the total population of the United States. The National Institute of Population and Social Security Research of Japan estimated in 2017 that by 2035, the single rate of all people in Japan over the age of 15 (including unmarried, divorced, and widowed) will reach 48% for both men and women, accounting for about half of the entire Japanese population.

The global single population data is gradually rising year by year, which means that the huge number of single people has a demand for potential emotional companionship.

The movie "Her" presents the emotions between real people and "virtual people" in the form of voice

Emotional needs in the single era

Artworks are a reflection of reality. The movie "Her" describes a story about a real-life man and a woman who exists as a "voice personality" developing mutual affection and love. In a big city where people are rushing around, a single man meets this "virtual woman" who exists in the form of voice. She gives him a lot of comfort and accompanies him through many important life experiences, making him feel less lonely in the crowd (the movie implicitly raises the dilemma of what is the difference between loving a virtual person and loving a real person).

The first episode of the documentary "Before Tomorrow" "Robot Companion" shows the important role of intelligent robots in helping people in need. "They" all help men who are hurt in their relationships, have difficulties in intimacy, or simply feel more comfortable with intelligent robots. The man also regards "her" as his other half, and gets companionship and comfort from "her". He thinks this is the love he needs.

This is the significance of virtual people (including intelligent robots) to singles. It helps singles gain a good psychological feeling and, in a sense, plays an indispensable role.

In the metaverse, there will inevitably be the same situation in the current real world. At that time, the huge number of single people will probably need the emotional companionship "function" brought by virtual digital people.

More and more able to understand your "Ta"

This trend is developing rapidly, as reflected in the rapid development of the market industry and the gradual intelligent "evolution" of virtual people themselves.

• Rapid development of the market and industry

According to data from TouBao Research Institute, the current market size of virtual digital people has exceeded 200 billion yuan. Quantum位智库预测, the overall market size of virtual digital people in my country will reach 270 billion yuan in 2030, which means that on average one virtual person is "born" every day in the world. According to Research And Markets, the global virtual activity market size is expected to reach 504.76 billion US dollars (about 3270.744 billion yuan) by 2028. Importantly, identity-based virtual people will dominate future development.

What is an identity-based virtual digital person? It is a different type from the service-oriented virtual digital people who have functionality and provide services. It has a unique personality and distinct identity, a gorgeous appearance and always abundant energy. It currently exists in the entertainment, social and brand fields in the form of a relatively basic virtual idol.

The current application scenarios of virtual digital people are actually prepared for the metaverse, not just for the mobile Internet. It will provide more and more complete services in the wide range of application scenarios in the metaverse with a three-dimensional image, such as companionship and chatting, emotional comfort, and even forming close relationships with people, just like the scene presented in the movie "Her".

• The "evolution" towards intelligence

The first (two in total) emotional companion virtual people in China were officially launched by Baidu Input Method on August 17, 2022. One is the 22-year-old sunny, handsome, considerate and gentle boy Lin Kaikai, and the other is the 27-year-old emotional listener, sober and sweet girl Ye Youyou.

It is reported that the two virtual people have the ability to have multiple rounds of fluent conversations close to the level of real people. They will provide 24-hour online companionship, personified chat, emotional healing and other services to more than 600 million users on the AI ​​Kankan function of Baidu Input Method, and have exclusive friend experiences such as waking up in the morning and coaxing to sleep, and also provide users with emotional needs such as chatting at any time and sharing their thoughts.

Based on the Wenxin PLATO dialogue model, Baidu Input Method has also upgraded Lin Kaikai and Ye Youyou with customized capabilities such as immersive companionship, long-term memory, and in-depth topics, that is, as the frequency of chat interactions increases, they will understand you better and become more and more like close friends who accompany you every day in the real world and talk to you anytime, anywhere.

Who is using it in the era of singles? According to the introduction, Baidu Input Method currently has more than 600 million monthly active users. According to statistics during the test period, each person chats more than 50 times a day on AI Kankan, and more than 86% of users publicly like the conversation content.

The meaning of the existence of virtual people in the Metaverse Era

With 600 million monthly active people and the frequency of chats per person per day, there is a huge demand for emotions and companionship behind the huge population of demand. If the virtual world of the Metaverse is successfully realized, it means that after a large number of users around the world enter the Metaverse anytime and anywhere, in addition to functional behaviors such as gaming, entertainment, and asset trading, they will also need the same emotional and companionship support as in the real world in their large amounts of free time.

According to market research firm Gartner, by 2026, 25% of people worldwide will spend at least one hour a day in the virtual world for work, shopping, education, socializing or entertainment. When people in the real world need to keep cats, dogs, or two-dimensional virtual idols to bring them companionship and obtain some emotional comfort, in the metaverse, as people stay longer, they also need emotional companion virtual people like considerate cats, dogs or virtual idols, and the latter are evolving more towards real humans.

In the movie "Artificial Intelligence", an artificial intelligence boy provides emotional needs for families who have lost their only child

Faced with this prospect, in the future metaverse, virtual people seem to be about to ignite a different spark.

If humans are the main body in the real universe, virtual digital people are the main body in the metaverse.

When we are in the era of the metaverse, it will inevitably be easier to obtain the emotional companionship and warm care of virtual people (who will be more intelligent in the future). On the one hand, it will bring good effects to people in need, such as providing support to families who have lost their only child, empty-nesters, or people who need emotional companionship. But on the other hand, is it a positive and positive impact on interpersonal relationships and intimate relationships in real society? This is a question worth thinking about.