Business leaders, marketing teams, and insiders are excited about the upcoming metaverse, based on a variety of 3D technology, real-time collaboration, and decentralized finance tools. It promises to change the way we work, play and interact on the Internet.

The consumer-oriented manifestation of the metaverse will evolve from early roots in social media, massively multiplayer gaming, and more immersive commerce. The business-oriented side will encompass tools for remote work, IoT, digital twins, computer-aided design, 3D printing, and business applications. Along the way, the metaverse must overcome various challenges related to privacy, security, hardware, and network latency. Progress is likely to evolve in fits and starts that mirror early efforts to push mobile technology out of…