Subscribe to our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest industry-leading AI updates and exclusive content.
With the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) happening this week, I wanted to see if developers could easily create a digital twin of Las Vegas that can be accessed from any computer with a quick download. There’s been a lot of buzz about new no-code tools that let anyone quickly create virtual experiences, but I’ve been doubtful that these tools can actually deliver.
To test this, I asked Agora World CEO Ethan Berg if he could create a digital twin of Las Vegas in under 20 minutes without writing any code. Specifically, I wanted an immersive experience that would place me at my hotel, the Luxor, and give me a virtual path from the hotel to the convention center, along with notable landmarks along the way.
Ethan accepted the challenge confidently and even offered to record the process to show how it can be done by someone with no coding background. Ethan assured me that he has never studied coding; his career has been focused on the business side of virtual reality (VR). In just 10 minutes, he created the immersive experience and sent me a snapshot.
Agora World is a no-code platform that allows creative agencies to quickly design and put online immersive experiences for major brands. Berg founded the company in 2019 because he thought creating immersive content like virtual showrooms, product demos, and training experiences was much too difficult.
Berg, like many in the industry, believes that in the near future, most e-commerce websites will offer 3D experiences of their products and services, making creative tools accessible to everyone. Along with Agora World, other companies like MetaVRse, Spatial, Blockade Labs, and Captic.io are working on no-code or low-code solutions.
I’ve been involved in VR since 1991 and have often believed that online commerce would soon go virtual. VR was a hot technology in the early and mid-1990s, and we thought virtual commerce was just around the corner. However, VR experienced a long downturn starting in 1998, lasting 15 years and putting many early startups out of business. Because of this, I’ve been cautious about predicting the adoption rate for mainstream applications like online shopping.
Yet, I feel that CES 2024 is the right moment for the industry to push immersive commerce forward. With Apple preparing to ship its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset and Meta pushing their Quest 3 headset, I believe mainstream users will start consuming online immersive content at scale this year.
To get more insights, I talked to Alan Smithson, co-founder of MetaVRse and TheMall. He highlighted that immersive commerce could surpass traditional e-commerce because friends and family can shop together virtually. MetaVRse is building the world’s largest virtual mall, TheMall.io, aiming to be the top destination for brands wanting to deploy virtual shopping experiences for social groups.
I also spoke with Alvin Graylin, HTC’s global VP of corporate development, who agreed that 2024 will be pivotal for the industry. With new products from Apple, Samsung, Google, and HTC, and AI tools reducing 3D content creation costs, immersive computing is set for a resurgence in consumer and business interest.
Alvin and I co-authored a book, “Our Next Reality,” exploring the AI-powered immersive future, focusing on the opportunities and risks. Immersive commerce will come with new dangers, as virtual showrooms with AI spokespeople could use highly persuasive skills, posing new risks that require consumer protections.
As virtual showrooms with AI salespeople become more common, major brands need to consider adding immersive content to their online presence. This will increase the demand for easy-to-use tools that let marketers and creatives develop compelling 3D experiences without needing programmers. Companies like Agora World and MetaVRse are working to make the creation of 3D web content as simple as creating traditional 2D content with tools like Wix, WordPress, or Canva.
Returning to the Las Vegas challenge, Berg provided a video showing how he created a digital twin of the city in just 10 minutes, thanks to a grant from geospatial company Cesium. Watching the video convinced me that rapid creation of digital twins is now a reality.
Creating a digital twin of a city is impressive, but even more interesting are applications for small businesses. These businesses could create immersive replicas of their locations for shopping, training, or customer service purposes. Event Horizon Experiences recently built a digital twin of a Hyundai branch in California using Cesium data and Agora World, integrating AI customer service representatives available around the clock.
Event Horizon’s CEO, Carlos Acevedo, believes web development is shifting rapidly toward immersive content, making online shopping more engaging and natural than today’s flat websites. As we start 2024, I recommend marketing professionals explore no-code tools for creating digital twins and virtual showrooms. Policymakers should also prepare for the next wave of online commerce, which will be more immersive, interactive, and AI-powered than today’s websites.
I believe virtual shopping will gain momentum in 2024 and continue to grow, ultimately transforming the online shopping experience.