Technology

Metaverse an unknown to over one third of consumers

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February 23, 2022

More than a third of consumers, 35%, have never heard of the metaverse, according to a Gartner survey.

But more than half, 58%, have heard of it but either don't know what it means or believe they understand it but can't explain it.

Just 6% polled claim to be comfortable in understanding the metaverse and able to explain it to others, according to a press release on the survey findings.

"This is a helpful signal to temper short term expectations of the metaverse, and its potential impact on (a) consumer's daily life," Kyle Rees, senior director analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice, said in the release. "It will be exciting to see how meta-aware companies begin to make sense of next-generation technologies to bring new products, services and experiences to the world around us.

"Technologies that are intertwined with the metaverse, such as projects on the blockchain or digital currencies, need to be highlighted as disruptive to the status quo thinking. Even properly communicating business use cases around metaverse adjacent concepts, such as AI and augmented reality, will go a long way in demystifying what is still largely an unknown technology to the everyday consumer."

Of those who at least know about the metaverse, 60% have no opinion on it, and only 18% are excited about it. Meanwhile, 21% say they're concerned about the impacts the metaverse might have.

"Companies with interests in the metaverse have a lot of work to change consumers' attitudes," said Rees in the release. "Contemplating the metaverse is a luxury that most people don't have time for currently. Getting people on board to see past the individual pieces of AI or head-mounted displays is paramount to them truly embracing the multiple technologies that make up a complete metaverse. There are complex, innovative new opportunities and business models that the average consumer needs to be able to grasp easily, or companies risk losing their interest."