Yangtze River Delta metaverse development fast tracked

Shanghai is taking a leading role in metaverse development for the Yangtze River Delta region.

The Yangtze River Delta Metaverse Industry Research Institute and the Yangtze River Delta Metaverse Industry Alliance have been launched in Shanghai.

The two consist of Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Institute of Business Innovation, Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, iFLYTEK and many other industry tycoons.

"Shanghai has leading consumption awareness, concept, taste and ability," said Hu Yu, head of the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Institute of Business Innovation.

"It leads the country's largest economic belt – the Yangtze River Delta region – in consumption trends.

"Hence, Shanghai is able to connect consumption and production, which is of vital importance to industrial development."

Yang Xiaokang, deputy dean of Artificial Intelligence Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said Shanghai has advantages in talent, policies, database and innovation ecosystem in developing metaverse.

"The research institute aims to become a major base for metaverse technology R&D and transfer to support the city's development to become an innovation hub with global influence," he said.