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RIYADH: The majority of people surveyed in 29 countries across the world view the metaverse positively, with 66 percent expecting XR-based apps to play a significant role in changing their lives in the next decade.

Ipsos S.A, a multinational market research and consulting firm based in Paris, conducted the survey for the World Economic Forum. 

Ipsos’ Global Adviser online survey platform conducted the survey between April 22 and May 6, and published the findings by the end of May.

Globally, the study showed that half of the adults had a positive view of the metaverse, and 52 percent were familiar with it.

The study surveyed groups of 500 to 1,000 adults from 29 different countries.

It found that developing countries have a higher level of enthusiasm for the metaverse and extended reality than their developed counterparts.

In China, India, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia, more than two thirds of the respondents expressed a positive opinion of the possibility of engaging with it, the study showed.

In India, 75 percent of the respondents were positive about engaging in extended reality on a daily basis.

People living in Latin America also expressed their interest in the future of the metaverse, as well as its applications in a range of different industries.

In Japan, Great Britain, Belgium, Canada, France, and Germany, however, only one third of the respondents held positive views about it.

In Turkey, India, China, and South Korea, more than two thirds of the people surveyed are somewhat familiar with virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse. But only one third in Poland, France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands had an idea of the metaverse.

Additionally, men and those with a higher level of education were more interested in the metaverse than women, older adults, and those without a college degree.