Does Web3 Only Include Blockchain? Are AR, VR, and AI Parts of the Third Version of the Internet?

Hi, Nooners!

My name is Daria Volkova. I'm a Web3 strategist, brand marketer, and communications expert.

From time to time, I see arguments among Web3 enthusiasts where they argue about the "purity of Web3". Someone claims that only blockchain and crypto are the basis of Web3, and someone is sure that such technologies and tools as AR, VR and AI should not be ignored because they are also an integral part of the Internet of the future.

Several weeks ago, I created a Linkedin post with a question that raised a wave of discussions and reflections about the future of the Internet.

I asked:

Does Web3 only include blockchain, crypto, NFT and related technologies? Can Web3 also include AI, augmented reality and virtual reality?

I am ready to share my opinion with you, dear HackerNoon fam!

I propose considering Web3 as a new paradigm and approach to online human interaction with others and organizations, including governments, both from the technological side and from the one that changes the ways of content creation and consumption.

This paradigm appeared as a response to humanity's request for a more transparent decision-making system, greater awareness of collective actions, the ability to influence them, and the need to be more attentive to the storage and use of personal data.

Open data, GDPR and online voting systems at the level of communities or countries have been created to meet this request. However, more is needed; blockchain has become a technology that allows the implementation of most such requests.

How can blockchain help make a more transparent decision-making system?

Blockchain has become a basis for Web3. Web3 is fundamentally about creating a more decentralized, user-centric internet where individuals have greater control over their data and digital interactions.

So, blockchain is about:
✅Transparency(verification of accounts and transactions on them, confirmation of identity or origin)
✅Decentralization(blockchain consensus and distributed nodes in the network)
✅The ability to influencea collective decision by voting (DAO)
✅Access to informationand collective use (open source code, API, SDK, use of IPFS)
✅Ownership(tokenization, NFT as one of the popular cases)
✅Privacy(privacy-centric technologies and cryptographic methods, data transformations)

But blockchain is not intended to engage or entertain a person; it is a practical technology that makes it possible to solve some of humanity's problems functionally.

And this is where collaborations with other technologies and tools come to the rescue.

Can we combine AR, AI and VR with blockchain in Web3?

I want to give as an example user cases of how the blockchain is effectively combined with other progressive technologies.

👉🏻VRallows the creation of spaces for the simultaneous interaction of many personalized avatars. A person can feel like a hero of the game or a part of the community. And this is a new type of content where a person can become a consumer, co-author or creator at will. Immersive technologies can be connected to the blockchain through NFTs or by confirming a person's identity behind an avatar.

👉🏻 The wide-spreading ofgenerative AI has shown humanity's demand for creating conditions under which the creativity and productivity of any person can reach a new level. AI is non-decentralized and non-transparent. Ideologically this goes against the blockchain. And in practice, it is already combined in the form of innovative products to meet the needs and ambitions of the mass user.

Is it possible to combine AI, AR, and VR with blockchain to create new ways of human interaction on the Internet? Sure! Will it be pure or hybrid Web3? It depends on who and what it means.

The beauty of Web3 lies in its ability to evolve and adapt. Any technology that helps make the interaction between people and organizations more transparent and understandable and reduces dependence on centralized solutions should be in the Web of the future.

Integrating AI, AR, and VR into this vision can enhance the user experience and provide new opportunities for dApps and digital interactions. These technologies can enable more immersive and interactive experiences within the Web3 framework, leading to innovative use cases and possibilities for the future of the Internet.

Conclusion

We all should be open to experiments because Web3 is now like the Wild West, where everyone sets their own rules. When the formation of the Web3 era is over, a new one will be built. It could be called Web4 or AntiWeb. Who knows 😉

Follow me on social media if you like my thoughts: Linkedin, Twitter, and YouTube.