Tyler Cowen: preference

Transcript context

…Thank you for the introduction. Nice to be here. A very simple question. I was born into a 3D world. Then, starting about the early 1990s, I spent a lot of my time trying to get into a 2D world because it was better for me to work with online. Why is reintroducing a third dimension so crucial to building out tech? I think there are a few different ways to unpack that. First and foremost, I need to emphasize that there’s a misconception that the metaverse means that everything we do will shift to 3D. It’s quite likely that many of the tasks we perform today with devices that are decades old, that are primarily based on 2D interaction, typing in text, will continue to do so. Much like we would recognize we’re deep into the mobile and cloud era, and yet we still use personal computers, local storage. Most data originates and terminates on a mobile device, and yet it’s transmitted through fixed-line networks. Don’t think of 3D as a replacement overall. The second point that I’d say is from a design perspective, an intuitive interaction model. We didn’t evolve for thousands of years to tap 2D glass, to stare at a camera through a Zoom screen, not making eye contact with the recipient. Grids of apps are not an intuitive way to interact with information. So, many believe that shifting into 3D is a more natural and better way to express some information in some use cases. The third thing that I would say is, if you take a look at the arc of what you just mentioned — the 2D internet — it began asynchronous with static files, text, no colors even. It evolved into limited imagery, colors, sound files. Today, in 2022, we embrace synchronous media — such as you and I right now — with rich interactive content. Younger demographics engage in constant streams of near-live or live content being shared. When you take a look at the youngest demographic today — Gen Alpha and Gen Z — they’re already embracing 3D-based platforms for socializing, increasingly for education at large. When you observe that history, many — myself included — come to that conclusion.…

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