One of the defining mechanisms of the internet is natural language search. Early in the development of internet technologies, it became clear that users needed some process to navigate the various web pages. The rest is, of course, history, and Google, the leading search engine is one of the most profitable companies in the world.
However, as we transcend from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0, we must ask, is there still a place for search in the Metaverse? The answer is a resounding yes, perhaps now more than ever, as the Metaverse promises to provide users with infinite possibilities to explore extensive, interconnected virtual ecosystems.
So, who’s leading the charge? And does Google still have a chance at remaining top dog?
Nvidia
One of the leading companies in the race for search dominance in the Metaverse is Nvidia. The organization has already established itself as an essential provider of the infrastructure required to power the Metaverse, and recently, it announced its plans to enter the search industry.
Recently, Nvidia revealed DeepSearch, a contextual search engine designed to analyze 3D data. The technology uses AI to search various data to create a 3D environment. Before this, searching for this data type had been very difficult, if not impossible.
DeepSearch enables search using a combination of natural language and images. The search facility will only be available to Nvidia customers using its Omniverse service and installed on-prem. However, moving forward, the firm plans to make the tech public.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse claims to have created the very first Web3.0 search engine, and $7m early stage funding seems to verify this claim. Instead of 3D search, Lighthouse focuses on connecting the various Metaverse platforms so that users can navigate fluidly across multiple spaces.
The focus is on the open Metaverse and Lighthouse partners with leading platforms, such as Decentraland and The Sandbox, utilizing direct data integrations. The aim is to connect the dots between various worlds so users can search for people, events, experiences, and places within and across them.
Since its conception, Google has diversified dramatically. Today, the business is more than just a search engine provider; revenue comes from many interconnected and stand-alone sources. However, the company still intends to stake its claim as a serious Metaverse search provider.
In November 2021, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said the companies would focus on AI and advanced search in response to the rise of Metaverse technologies. Primarily, Google will be exploring the limits of voice search, an essential element to navigating a virtual landscape where the keyboard is redundant. You can already hum a tune and use Google’s search algorithm to identify the song for you.
Beyond this, the company has incorporated a ‘multisearch’ facility into Google Lens image recognition software. Using multisearch, users can query screen images and combine images and text to refine search results.
Ludo
Ludo deserves an honorable mention, although the platform is more niche and perhaps less future-proof than the others we’ve covered in this article. The Ludo search facility focuses on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and facilitates the discovery of NFTs across multiple blockchains.
Beyond this, the platform also enables users to purchase NFTs and apps from its Web 3.0 store and includes a gamified element for NFT discovery ‘quests.’ Ludo is more an app store than a search engine; in essence, it’s a crypto project, but the multichain approach is indicative of how Metaverse search functionality will play out moving forward.
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