Can the Metaverse Bring Us Closer to Wildlife? | Gautam Shah | TED

翻译人员: Yip Yan Yeung 校对人员: Yan Li Xiao

I'm a total wildlife nerd.

我是个真正的野生动物迷。

But I’m also a career technologist,

但我也是一名职业技术专家，

and it took me 20 years to figure out how to combine the two

我花了 20 年 想明白如何将二者结合，

towards wildlife conservation.

应用于野生动物保护。

But I think I finally got it.

我觉得我终于找到了答案。

Technology has come so far in that time in generating data

科技发展飞快，可以迅速生成

about our planet and its other non-human inhabitants.

地球和其他非人类居住地的数据。

For example, there's a satellite in space

比如，太空中有一颗卫星，

that's dedicated to tracking the movements of hundreds of species.

用于追踪几百个物种的动态。

We can pluck DNA samples from rivers, soil and dung

我们可以从河流、土壤和粪便中 提取 DNA 样本，

to identify individual animals.

识别每一种动物。

And whales and seals are swimming around right now with sensors on,

鲸鱼和海豹正带着传感器 四处游动，

collecting ocean data for us.

为我们收集海洋数据。

Now, this data is incredibly valuable to the science of protecting the planet.

这些数据对于保护地球的 科学研究价值不菲。

But I think it could be even more valuable.

但我认为它们的价值不止如此。

What if we use that data to give wild animals

如果我们可以利用这些数据， 给野生动物

a unique digital identity that's recognizable by humans?

赋予一个人类可以识别的 独特的数字身份，怎么样？

Now why would we do this?

我们为什么要这么做呢？

Well, most of us have a digital identity that we use to communicate

大多数人都持有数字身份， 可以与他人进行交流和社交。

and socialize with each other.

But Albert in St. Louis, for example,

但是举个例子， 圣路易斯市的阿尔伯特

has no way to create a connection with an orangutan in Borneo.

就无法与加里曼丹岛的猩猩 建立联系。

How can we expect him to empathize with its protection?

那怎么能指望他设身处地 体会猩猩的保护工作呢？

If we want to preserve all life on Earth,

如果我们要保护地球上的所有生命，

we need to create relationships with all life on Earth.

我们就得和地球上的所有生命 建立关系。

And relationships are built upon recognizing someone's unique identity.

这些关系基于 认可他人独特的身份标识。

So maybe giving one to that orangutan could create a bond with Albert

也许为猩猩提供这么一个身份 可以建立与阿尔伯特的联系，

that helps them both in the real world.

在现实世界中帮到双方。

Now, this is not as far-fetched as it seems.

这并没有看上去那样遥不可及。

The technology and the data exist to do it.

要达成这个目标， 科技和数据都有了。

But it's not enough to just create the identities.

但是单凭创造身份是不够的。

They need a place to come alive and be found by humans.

它们需要一个显现的地方， 还可被人类发现。

Somewhere that creates an immersive and active way

那个地方提供了一个让人 互相联结的沉浸式、主动的方式。

to stay engaged.

Well, if current predictions come true,

如果目前的预测可以实现，

most of our socializing, work and play will shift to games,

那么我们很多的社交、工作和娱乐 都会转移至游戏、

virtual spaces and yes, the metaverse.

虚拟空间，没错，还有元宇宙。

And that's where stories will be told and relationships built.

我们会在那里撰写新篇章， 建立新关系。

So for every human avatar

我们会在这些空间里有一些 互动、生活的人类虚拟形象，

that is interacting or consuming in these spaces,

let’s have the same for Mweituria the elephant,

不如也为大象莫伊特维拉、

Ataia the Jaguar, Fio the orangutan

猎豹阿莎亚、猩猩菲奥，

and hundreds of thousands more.

还有成千上万的其他动物 创造虚拟形象。

And the events of their lives, as supported by the data,

它们生活中的事件， 由数据支持，

can be recreated digitally.

得以重现于数字世界。

That might be the health of Fio,

可以是菲奥的健康情况，

the migration of Mweituria,

莫伊特维拉的迁徙情况，

a newborn cub to Ataia.

阿莎亚刚生的猎豹宝宝。

And these events, and others,

这些事件和其他信息

create the moments

创造了一些瞬间，

for people to feel the space to feel emotionally bonded.

让人感受到这个令人共情的空间。

Not because they all of a sudden want to,

人们并不是一时冲动想去感受，

but because they now have access that they never did before.

而是他们现在有了一个机会， 去接触之前从未做过的事。

Some will use that space to connect directly

有些人会直接利用这个空间

with orangutan researchers in Borneo.

与加里曼丹岛的猩猩研究者 直接建立联系。

Others will identify new patterns in elephant movements.

有些人会识别出 大象活动的新规律。

Some will learn about deforestation by actually witnessing it.

有些人通过亲眼所见 了解了森林砍伐现象。

And we’ll monetize this soon-to-be-trillion-dollar sector

我们会借助这个 即将达到上万亿规模的产业

to help finance further science and habitat protection.

为科学研究和 栖息地保护提供资金。

Which means that virtual worlds can directly benefit the real world

这也就意味着， 虚拟世界能直接让现实世界获益，

as opposed to being detached from it.

而不是与现实世界脱节。

And we've been experimenting with this

我们一直在利用 像菲奥和其他动物的

using the real data of animals like Fio and others.

实时数据进行尝试。

And we found that

我们发现，

while our vision is still many years away from being realized,

虽然我们的畅想距离实现 还需要很多年，

the platforms to make it happen already exist.

但是实现这个畅想的平台 已经出现了。

Microsoft's Flight Simulator,

微软模拟飞行

it includes two trillion of the world's trees.

涵盖了世界上两万亿棵树。

It could include all the world's wildlife.

它也可以涵盖世界上 所有的野生动物。

Adidas recently included five GPS-tracked animals as athletes in its fitness app

阿迪达斯最近在 它家健身 app 中

推出了五个 由 GPS 追踪的动物，

for its users to compete against.

供用户与其比拼。

It could include thousands more.

它也能再推出几千种。

And Fortnite recently held a virtual concert ... with Travis Scott.

《堡垒之夜》最近举行了 一场虚拟音乐会，

邀请了特拉维斯·斯科特 （Travis Scott）。

They transported over 27 million of their users

它将超过 2700 万名用户

to a fictional world to witness that concert.

传送到了虚拟世界， 参加音乐会。

Let's hold the next one in the Amazon rainforest.

我们可以在亚马逊雨林中 举办下一场音乐会。

Imagine if Ataia the Jaguar walks by during the show.

想象一下， 猎豹阿莎亚在演出时路过。

Now, I'll admit I have fears that some of what I'm advocating

我承认我会担心 我想宣扬的几个点

could create a greater divide between people and the natural world.

会扩大人类和 自然世界之间的隔阂。

If I could, I'd just pick everybody up,

如果可以的话， 我想把大家抓起来，

I’d plop them in Borneo, and I’d have them spend an hour with Fio instead.

丢去加里曼丹岛， 和菲奥共度一个小时的时光。

But Fio's natural world is literally dying in front of our eyes.

但是菲奥的自然世界 真的在我们眼前岌岌可危了。

We need a seismic shift in how we create relationships with other species.

我们需要彻底改变 与其他物种建立关系的方式。

Otherwise, yeah, the next 100 years of wildlife conservation

不然接下来 100 年里的 野生动物保护

will continue to be an uphill, losing battle.

依旧会是一场艰苦卓绝、 注定会失败的战斗。

It's only a matter of time before some version of the metaverse

元宇宙持续发展，

迟早会改变 我们生活和与他人互动的方式。

changes the way we spend our time and engage with each other.

And however you may feel about that,

无论你有何感想，

we have to make sure that Mweituria, Ataia, Fio

我们都得把 莫伊特维拉、阿莎亚、菲奥

and millions more animals are included,

和万千动物考虑进去，

play a role and benefit.

让它们参与其中且受惠于此。

And not get left behind.

而不是被弃置不顾。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）