$600 billion by 2032. That’s how big the industrial metaverse is expected to be. Sounds impressive, right? Hold up, before we all start imagining ourselves diving into pools of digital riches. Are we discussing real innovation that could reshape cities and mobility, or merely a parade of glorified toys that will end up gathering cobwebs in private corporate labs? I believe the moment has come to do so, ahead of the gold rush.
Will it really change our lives?
The industrial metaverse, at its core, promises to bring real-time 3D simulations to industries like manufacturing, transport, and oil & gas. Think about it: engineers designing a new oil rig inside a virtual world, testing its every component before a single piece of steel is cut. Simulating dangerous working conditions with no real danger involved. Sounds amazing, and it could be. Construction industry impacts. But the devil, as is often the case, is in the details.
I’ve spent the past few years immersing myself in these systems, from chronicling corporate monstrosities to developing long-form story arcs for graphic novels. One thing I’ve learned is that human factors are almost always the greatest obstacle. You might have the flashiest tech out there. If people don’t see it, know how to use it, don’t trust it or don’t want to use it, it’s dead on arrival.
Consider this: the promise of virtual reality has been around for decades. How many of us are working in VR day in and day out? Sure, the AR/VR headset market is growing slightly, but the largest share is still gaming and entertainment. You think industrial applications are going to be any different?
The secret, I think, is to stick to actual issues and actually produce useful results. Businesses must demonstrate to employees how the industrial metaverse will help make their work easier, less dangerous, and more gratifying. Then not simply slap a $5,000 headset on them and hope they’re instant experts.
Perhaps the most important thing I’ve heard so far is how similar this all sounds to the early days of the internet. It seemed like everybody was getting rich off of e-commerce, even though hardly any companies really knew how to do it right. It’s easy to forget now, but it took years of experimentation, failure, and adaptation before e-commerce really found its footing. The path for the industrial metaverse will probably play out this same way.
Skills Needed For The New Era?
So, what high skills will be needed in this new age of industry? And we’re not only referring to how to use a VR headset, either. It's about understanding 3D modeling, VR/AR development, and, crucially, data analysis. But even more important are the soft skills: problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration.
Imagine a highly experienced mechanic, who can tell you exactly what’s going wrong with an engine simply by listening to the sounds it’s making. Can you genuinely scale that level of expertise and human connection in a virtual face-to-face simulation. Maybe, eventually. It’s time for a new breed of “digital mechanics.” They will open up our cities, connecting the physical and virtual realms.
This is where education and training can play a big role. We’ll need bold, creative new approaches to ensure that these programs can train workers with the skills they need to thrive in an industrial metaverse. So not only coding bootcamps, but on-the-job training that merges technical knowledge with practical experience.
And then there’s the issue of the digital divide. If only large corporations can afford to invest in this technology, we risk creating a two-tiered industrial system, where some companies are left behind. We have to give our nation’s small and medium-sized businesses the tools to succeed. They need education to properly allow them to actively participate in the industrial metaverse. Or else, the rage of being forgotten will be all too real.
Ethical implications, who cares?
There's a darker side to all this, and it's something we need to talk about: the ethical implications. Do we want permanent, extreme, high-resolution worker surveillance in the industrial metaverse? What about data privacy? And how do we make sure the algorithms powering these simulations aren’t biased?
I’ve experienced how easily technology can be used to exploit and control others. And so we need to be dogged and ensure the industrial metaverse advances and equips workers. Let’s make sure it doesn’t push them to the fringes even more.
The push in the direction of optical see-through glasses in particular is worrisome. Think about a world in which every step you take is monitored and measured. Your performance is literally being watched at all times by algorithms. It may sound like something out of a dystopian novel, but this is a highly plausible scenario.
The AR/VR market is really moving at a breakneck pace into mixed reality (MR). This shift marks an important step in corporate understanding of the value that these technologies can bring outside the scope of gaming. Whether that kind of shift will bring us to a transportation revolution, or simply a fleet of new, expensive shiny new toys, continues to be an open question. The truth is, it’s up to us to determine that future.
The expected drop in AR/VR/MR device shipments in 2025 should be a alarm bell. The initial hype is passing into history. Rather, companies need to get real value from these technologies, or they might be doomed to fail in the long term after all. That anticipated 2026 uptick looks great on paper, but it relies heavily on their ability to innovate and remain user experience-centric.
Ultimately, the success of the industrial metaverse will depend on whether we can harness its potential for good, while mitigating its risks. And it isn’t just about technology, it’s about people. And if we don’t learn that lesson, we’re destined to make the same mistakes all over again. We must ensure that the industrial metaverse creates a sense of wonder, and not fear.
