The Interview Breakdown

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has made headlines once again, this time as the first-ever interview subject in the metaverse. The video of the interview has stunned onlookers and sparked a debate among viewers.

The Metaverse Revealed

The metaverse, a virtual world created by Zuckerberg's tech company Meta, is the backdrop for this groundbreaking interview. In the video, Zuckerberg and Lex Fridman, a computer scientist and podcaster, appear as 3D hyper-realistic avatars. Despite being a thousand miles apart, they converse as if they are face to face.

A New Level of Realism

The avatars, created through Meta's Codec Avatar research, are impressively lifelike, capturing every detail of the human face. Fridman expresses his awe at the photo-realistic avatars, noting how immersive they are.

How It Works

The process behind these avatars involves scanning the head-to-torso of both Zuckerberg and Fridman. Their bodies and facial expressions are then turned into hyper-realistic computer models called Codecs. When users wear Meta's Meta Quest headsets, the gear detects their facial expressions and transmits a coded version into the metaverse.

A "Magical" Experience

Zuckerberg describes the photorealistic experience as "magical" and explains that it creates a sense of presence, regardless of physical location. The interview showcases the potential of the metaverse to bridge distances and make it seem like people are truly together.

Still a Work in Progress

Meta is still working on bridging the gap between the virtual and physical world. One major challenge is translating arms and the rest of the body into the metaverse. Zuckerberg acknowledges that this is one of the last pieces they need to figure out.

Opinions on Photorealistic Avatars

Viewers have different reactions to the photorealistic avatars. Some believe that crossing the uncanny valley, the discomfort people feel when faced with human-like but artificial entities, has been achieved. They see it as a major milestone. However, others argue that photorealistic avatars have their own issues and can potentially encourage toxic behavior in the metaverse.

The evolution of the metaverse continues to fascinate and unsettle many people as the possibilities and consequences unfold.