The proposal is extremely similar: in both cases, the idea is to replicate aspects of the physical world in an alternative digital reality through the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, analytical tools, internet of things, virtual and augmented reality, big data and 3D design. Data is the common raw material for both: analyzing it makes it possible to improve processes, reduce unforeseen events and generate accurate predictions.

What changes is the focus: unlike the metaverse, which seeks to modify different aspects of everyday life, including the way we communicate, work or entertain, the omniverse focuses specifically on utilitarian applications for companies, related to the technologies of Industry 4.0.

Union, intersection and difference

Can we say that there are no points of intersection between one and the other? Not at all: at some point, the omniverse is nothing other than one of the particular use cases of the metaverse. In fact, as this concept matures, a higher level of integration between these different alternative realities is expected, just as today there is a single, fully interconnected internet.

From an automotive company that can replicate the entire factory to understand improvement points, bottlenecks, opportunities to incorporate new machinery or strategies to optimize the distribution of components, to a retailer that takes advantage of image recognition capabilities to make visual contact with customers in the virtual realm and improve its customer service, the possible applications are infinite and the only limit is the creativity of each company.

Omniverse omni-industry

Other industries that can benefit from this concept are those that have significant assets in the field, such as mining, oil, telecommunications or even logistics and transportation. The omniverse allows them to evaluate their installations, prevent errors or carry out remote inspections with the highest precision and the consequent possibility of generating actions in case they are necessary. Utilities, in particular, have the option of optimizing the deployment of their networks.

A key use case would be to train specialized personnel in the use of complex, heavy or risky machinery in complete safety: for the operator, the training takes place in a protected place, with a virtual reality helmet and with no major possibilities of a misfortune.

The public sector also finds in the omniverse an unprecedented opportunity: it can experience the impact of introducing changes in the transport system without affecting citizens. It even has the possibility to thoroughly evaluate the implementation of a smart city. Environment-related sectors, for their part, can generate digital replicas of a forest, simulate a fire and verify what might happen under different courses of action and different weather scenarios.

Common principles

The principles that drive the omniverse are the same as those of the metaverse: 

1. Persistence: everything works as it does in real life. 
2. Massive scale: many people are expected to interact in real time in the same virtual experience. In the omniverse, we are talking on the order of hundreds or thousands (depending on the size of the enterprise). While in the metaverse, it could be in the order of millions.
3. Accessibility: everyone who has an interest in the digital experience should be able to access it at any time, from anywhere and in an easy way. Finally, the concept of interoperability is deployed: the omniverse should act as a single meeting point for multiple applications.

The omniverse, as opposed to the metaverse, has as its main objective to generate changes that produce a positive impact on everyday life, based on an alternative reality.