The European Commission is paving the way for the future with its vision of Web 4.0, aiming to outpace the advancements of Web 3.0 and position the European Union (EU) as a global technology leader. With countries like the USA, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore embracing Web 3.0, the EU is determined to stay at the forefront of the digital revolution.
Web 4.0 is expected to revolutionize the way we experience the digital world, seamlessly integrating virtual and physical realms through technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain, and extended reality. The goal is to create intuitive and immersive interactions between humans and machines.
At the heart of Web 4.0 lies virtual worlds, immersive 3D environments that merge virtual, digital, and physical realities. These virtual worlds have diverse applications across sectors like education, healthcare, manufacturing, and public services. They have the potential to transform how we learn, work, and interact. However, they also bring forth challenges related to privacy, security, ethics, and societal impact.
Within the EU, around 3,700 entities currently operate in the virtual worlds subdomain, contributing approximately 24% to the global total. Policymakers are tasked with fostering responsible and equitable virtual worlds that drive economic growth and digital progress.
🌐✨ This is a head start on the next technological transition.
A new strategy on Web 4.0 & #VirtualWorldsEU adopted by the @EU_Commission today will ensure an open, secure, trustworthy, fair & inclusive #digital environment for all Europeans.
Here's how ↓🧵 pic.twitter.com/YJUKyYSyVX
— Digital EU 🇪🇺 (@DigitalEU) July 11, 2023
Web 4.0 and virtual worlds present significant opportunities. In manufacturing, virtual twins optimize production processes, making them more efficient and sustainable. The cultural and creative industry benefits from new avenues for content creation, promotion, and distribution. Education and training, especially in the medical field, can leverage virtual worlds for simulations, reducing risks and improving accuracy.
However, challenges lie ahead, including awareness, access to reliable information, digital skills, and user acceptance. Broader challenges encompass fundamental rights, ecosystem fragmentation, and access to financing.
The European Commission has launched a strategy for Web 4.0 and virtual worlds to steer the next technological transition. It aims to create an open, secure, trustworthy, fair, and inclusive digital environment for EU citizens, businesses, and public administrations. The strategy focuses on empowering individuals, supporting the industrial ecosystem, driving societal progress, and shaping global standards for open and interoperable virtual worlds and Web 4.0.
As the EU embraces the era of Web 4.0, it aims to redefine the future of technology, transforming how we interact with the digital world and unlocking a realm of new possibilities for individuals and businesses.
