The metaverse, with its revolutionary technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and artificial intelligence (AI) appear to be just on the horizon, promising to be the future of the internet. Although still in its early stages, we are already witnessing the transforming impact of metaverse technologies on several fields, including education, demonstrating a great promise for the future in how we learn, train and connect. Given its current impacts, potential benefits and challenges, it can contribute to fostering collaboration across North America by blurring geographic limits and driving the region's education and economy forward.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the metaverse will be the possibility to transcend borders, by connecting people in meaningful ways, while creating a sense of presence that brings them together regardless of their physical location. Just imagine the profound impact of being able to communicate, attend cultural events and share traditions with your loved ones despite geographical boundaries.

Last year, people around the world were able to experience the Day of the Dead in new ways. In collaboration with mar.ia, the first Mexican virtual human, Meta created an AR effect to honor Mexican traditions inspired in the makeup of the renowned drag queen Yayoi Bowery. The developed AR experience aimed not only to motivate people to celebrate the festivities, but also to encourage them to continue engaging with the holiday, while offering the diaspora the possibility to connect and interact with their cultural heritage in an innovative, diverse and inclusive way. This is just an example of how these immersive technologies have the power to create deep emotional connections and shared experiences that are already revolutionizing the way we bridge accessibility gaps and keep bringing people together across borders. The metaverse is emerging as a transformative force with the potential of breaking down boundaries that have hindered exchange in North America. By creating a greater sense of presence, immersive technologies are enabling the development of not only cultural but also economic and educational opportunities, as they can be a huge boost to countries that are building workforce for others.

The opportunities that the metaverse presents are real. A 2022 Analysis Group report outlines the metaverse’s global impact on the economy, highlighting a potential contribution of around USD $3 trillion to global GDP in 2031, as well as underlining its promising role in driving education and training initiatives. Immersive learning solutions powered by metaverse technologies are already demonstrating the tremendous power it holds to transform education - making learning active and bringing subjects to life in new ways.

Museums, universities and schools are increasingly embracing the transformative potential of immersive technologies and investing in their implementation. The Museo Memoria y Tolerancia in Mexico City is using AR to bring its exhibits to life allowing people to experience them in a more immersive way, aiming to generate awareness on the importance of tolerance and inclusion, as well as to foster education by stimulating student-teacher interaction and promoting creative development. At Georgian College in Ontario, Maritime Ship Navigation students can navigate virtual oil tankers through simulated ports around the globe, gaining hands-on experience in a safer and cost-effective way than in the real world. In the US, the implementation of Prisms, the first spatial learning platform for STEM developed by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, is rapidly expanding in schools. With Prisms, students in grades 8-12 can physically experience math concepts such as algebra and geometry. Teachers have reported a 10% increase in learning outcomes in just one week, with students demonstrating potential impact on confidence and mindset, showcasing greater effectiveness of the immersive learning experience.

By harnessing the immersive and interactive capabilities of metaverse technologies, and using creation tools such as Meta Horizon Workrooms, we can develop virtual spaces and safe learning environments that transcend traditional boundaries, offering teachers not only more ways to inspire their students, but also the possibility to teach and connect with schools hundreds of miles away, which besides of fostering cultural exchange across North America, would help bridging barriers that prevent access to education, for example contributing to reduce school dropout rates in Mexican states and municipalities.

VR and AR are also transforming training across industries demonstrating effective ways to train people with less risk in sectors where large-scale training requires a lot of time, resources and coordination. Interplay Learning, a VR training and education platform for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar and facilities maintenance professionals, has reported positive impacts, according to a survey performed to its partners. These results demonstrate that: 95% of companies have obtained a positive impact since they started using Interplay for training; 89% say Interplay has given them the ability to train technicians faster than before; and 70% of companies report an increase in employee retention rate.

As the industry continues to develop, our understanding of the benefits and best practices of immersive technologies in education and training will expand, further unlocking its transformative power, something which we are already witnessing with Floreo platform. The VR app was developed for neurodivergent learners to equip them with social, behavioral, communication and life skills they can apply in their everyday lives. Through VR it's possible to train kids with autism to learn and practice pedestrian safety behaviors that have no room for errors in real world situations, reinforcing that immersive learning can open a new era of educational and training possibilities as technologies evolve.

When it comes to technological evolutions, one groundbreaking innovation for the metaverse is likely to be generative artificial intelligence. Its implementation will allow more vivid and dynamic experiences, with scenarios based on specific needs, enhancing the sense of presence offered by extended reality (XR) technologies, as well as providing more realistic and fluid interactions with improved avatars. Just imagine how fun and exciting it will be to not only learn about Frida Kahlo’s story from her perspective, but also to engage in a natural conversation with her, including being able to ask questions. In the future, tools as Voicebox, a genAI model developed by Meta that can produce high-quality audio clips and perform a range of functions, such as text-to-speech conversion and cross-lingual style transfer among six different languages, can enhance virtual assistants and help people to communicate naturally even if they do not speak the same language. Such tools can also play a role in reducing barriers to education and cultural exchange as their capabilities will empower teachers to teach from all around the world and enable students of different nationalities to exchange experiences. Moreover, genAI has also the potential to streamline the production of immersive learning content, making it easier, faster and more accessible while no-code AI-powered tools such as Voicebox emerge.

While the metaverse is immensely promising, opening up many opportunities for accessibility, cultural exchange, and education, it also amplifies existing global challenges related to connectivity and infrastructure, data privacy and cybersecurity, as well as regulatory compliance and interoperability. Hence, to ensure that metaverse technologies do not create further inequalities, it is critical to carefully consider, from its very beginning, accessibility, digital literacy and equitable access to the opportunities to come. Collaborative efforts among governments, civil society, business and regulatory bodies are crucial in establishing global frameworks that foster innovation, safeguard people's data and consumer rights, and ensure fair competition in this emerging digital landscape, leveraging the metaverse's vast potential. Global initiatives from the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Metaverse Standards Forum are leading the early debates around governance, integrity and interoperability in the metaverse.

Beyond its impact on education, the metaverse holds significant implications for economies. It opens new avenues for economic expansion and market collaboration across countries by empowering the creator economy, which is the broader economic and social infrastructure that enables the work of those who use digital technology to make, publish and monetize unique creative content, as well promoting entrepreneurship, and driving growth in industries such as tourism, retail and e-commerce. By embracing the metaverse, North American economies are positioning themselves at the forefront of a technological revolution, creating new job opportunities and transforming existing sectors from retail to entertainment.

The metaverse has the power to connect learners, educators and businesses in ways never before imagined, transcending physical boundaries and fostering a profound sense of unity and belonging. By leveraging immersive education and its affordances, North America can unlock a new era of growth and economic empowerment. Together, we can shape a future where the metaverse further transforms education and acts as a catalyst for positive change, empowering governments, institutions and individuals, while expanding cross border exchanges to embolden the North American Way.