Foreseeing Metacrime in Metaverse 2.0

Abstract

The metaverse refers to a continuous, decentralized, and immersive 3D digital environment where users, represented by avatars, can interact socially and engage in economic activities. The advancement in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and spatial generative artificial intelligence (spatial GenAI) is expected to accelerate the full-scale adoption of the metaverse. This technological progress will significantly empower users to generate individualized, hyper-realistic, and interoperable immersive online virtual worlds, a development referred to as Metaverse 2.0. The emergence of Metaverse 2.0 introduces novel exploitative opportunities and regulatory complexities that extend beyond terrestrial governance and traditional cyberspace regulations. Along with the identified metacrime characteristics, GenAI has significantly reduced technological and instrumental barriers for initiating cyber-enabled and cyber-dependent crimes. In addition, spatial GenAI heightens the risk of offences such as impersonation scams by facilitating tailored yet anonymous 3D simulations. The study concludes with a review of key regulatory challenges and proposes solutions for preventing crime and reducing harm to ensure digital resilience within Metaverse 2.0. Overall, the study underscores the need for a future-oriented perspective to understand the malleability of metacrime and the complexities of regulating an AI-empowered metaverse.