Are Video Calls the Best We Can Do in the Age of the Metaverse? | Josephine Eyre | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

We all have questions that keep us up at night.

我們都有一些問題 會讓我們晚上難以入眠。

Here are two of mine.

以下兩個是我的。

The first is: What makes us human?

第一：是什麼讓人類是人類？

In a world where human beings and technology

在這個世界裡，

人類和科技越來越趨近，

are increasingly converging

and where with the power of virtual reality

且靠著虛擬實境的力量，

we can embody anything we want,

我們能隨心所欲體現出任何東西。

是什麼持續讓我們仍然是人類？

what is it that continues to keep us human?

Now there's loads of different answers to this,

這個問題有一堆不同的答案，

but the social anthropologist in me

但我心中的社會人類學家魂認為 答案是人類能深謀遠慮的力量。

hangs on to the human power of forethought.

That's our ability to predict and prepare for what might happen.

也就是我們能夠預測可能會 發生什麼事並做準備的能力。

Of all the things that make us uniquely human,

讓我們人類如此獨特的元素當中，

forethought has got to be one of the most interesting

深謀遠慮想必是最有趣的其中之一，

because it enables us to imagine and create our futures.

因為它讓我們能夠 想像和創造我們的未來。

It gives us the ability to be deeply creative.

它讓我們能有深刻的創造力。

My next question is: Are we living in reality?

我的下一個問題是： 我們生活在現實中嗎？

I'm not channeling my inner Morpheus here.

我不是要挑戰我內在的莫菲斯。

This is honestly something I think about a lot.

老實說，這是我常在想的問題。

I think about how we’re moving towards, or perhaps have always been,

我會想，我們如何邁向，或者，

一直都生活在多重的存在層次當中。

living in multiple levels of existence.

After all, simulations aside,

畢竟，先不談模擬，

reality is really just the stories we tell ourselves

現實其實就只是我們根據 自身所見來告訴自己的故事，

about what we think we see around us

and may be influenced by other people’s stories.

也許會受到別人的故事影響。

And so every story that you have ever heard or ever will,

所以，你曾經聽過 或將來會聽到的每個故事，

including the one I'm about to tell you now,

包括我等下要告訴各位的故事，

will influence your version of reality.

都會影響你的版本的現實。

When I was five years old,

我五歲時，

I was obsessed with "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.

我超迷路易斯‧卡羅寫的 《愛麗絲夢遊仙境》。

I loved how impossible it was, and yet real at the same time.

我很愛它既不可能發生， 同時卻又是真實的。

Back then, this was my virtual reality.

那時，這就是我的虛擬實境。

And there's an exchange in the book between Alice and the White Queen,

在書中，愛麗絲 和白皇后有一次交流，

where the queen is saying that if you try hard enough,

皇后說，如果你夠努力嘗試，

you can believe in anything,

你就可以相信任何事， 不論是否有可能。

whether it's possible or not.

So now, even though I consider myself a pretty pragmatic person,

所以，現在，

雖然我自認是個務實的人，

I too try to believe in six impossible things before breakfast.

在早餐之前，我仍然會 試著相信六件不可能的事。

And with the power of virtual reality, VR, I can often make them a reality.

而靠著虛擬實境（VR）的力量，

我通常都能讓它們成真。

But as you get older, your imagination takes a bit of a knock

但隨著年齡漸長，

你的想像力會減損，你會失去童心。

and you lose that childlike wonder.

There's bills to pay and kids to keep alive

有帳單要付、有孩子要養， 還有工作等著要完成。

and work to be done.

And then there's the monotony of boardrooms

還有無聊乏味的會議，

and PowerPoint presentations

以及 PowerPoint 簡報，

and video calls.

還有視訊會議。

Hmm.

嗯。

Now, I've been lucky to work remotely for a lot of my career,

我很幸運，我職涯中 多數時候都可以遠端工作，

and it is amazing for so many different reasons.

我覺得它這麼棒的理由很多。

Without all of the technology we have today,

若沒有現今這些技術，

remote work would be impossible.

遠端工作就不可能成真。

But our overreliance on video calls

但，我們過度仰賴視訊會議，

is hurting our ability to be creative as a team.

卻傷害了我們團隊的創意能力。

And this is a big problem

這是個大問題，

because creativity isn't just for artists and musicians.

因為不只是藝術家 和音樂家才需要創意。

It's what drives innovation in our workplaces.

在我們的工作場所， 是創意在推動創新。

And without it, we can't solve the many problems we face as humanity.

沒有它，我們就無法解決 許多人類所面臨的問題。

Now you may have been told to turn your camera on during video calls

在視訊會議時，你可能會被 告知要開啟你的攝影機，

這樣別人才更容易與你連結。

so that people can more easily connect with you.

This makes a lot of sense on the surface level

表面上，這很合理，

because nobody likes speaking to a blank screen.

沒有人喜歡對著空白螢幕說話。

But research done by Carnegie Mellon University

但，卡內基美隆大學所做的研究

has found that turning our cameras on during video calls

在視訊會議期間將攝影機打開，

impacts our ability to do creative teamwork.

會影響我們做創意團隊工作的能力。

Now if you're anything like me on a video call,

若你在視訊會議時有點像我， 你的注意力會很分散。

your attention is very divided.

You're trying to look at people's facial expressions,

別人的臉部表情通常都看不太 清楚，所以你會努力去看。

usually, which you can't quite make out.

You're trying to listen to what people are saying,

你也要用力聽別人說什麼，

但你也得看自己，確保 你臉上沒有食物之類的。

but you're also looking at yourself

and making sure you've got no food on your face.

感覺就不像是很自然的溝通方式。

And it just doesn't feel like a very natural way to communicate.

確實不是。

And it's not.

For millennia, our human ancestors,

數千年來，

我們的人類祖先演化出創意來，

who have evolved to be creative just in order to survive,

是為了要生存，

have done so in 3D environments.

演化一直是發生在三維環境中。

That's just how our brains are wired.

我們的大腦天生就是這麼運作。

It's only been relatively recently

一直要到相當近期，

that we've been distracted by these glowing 2D screens.

我們才被這些發光的 二維螢幕分散注意力。

And these screens are designed to display things.

而這些螢幕是設計來做顯示用的。

It's called display technology for a reason.

它叫做「顯示技術」是有原因的。

We were never meant to communicate through them.

本意就不是要用它們來溝通。

So if video calls are confusing

所以，如果視訊會議會讓人困惑，

and they hurt our creativity,

且會傷害我們的創意，

then why are we still using them?

我們為什麼還要用它們？

And when I asked this question, the answer I get is usually the same.

每次我問這個問題， 得到的答案通常都一樣。

People say it's the best we have

大家會說，這是目前最好的方法，

or it's the closest thing we can get to real life.

或者，這是已經是 最接近真實生活的方式。

So this got me thinking.

這就讓我開始想，

Are video calls really the best we can do with all of the technology of today?

現今有這麼多技術，視訊會議 是我們能做到最好的方式嗎？

And what's so good about real life anyway?

而真實生活又有什麼好的？

What if, rather than trying to recreate reality,

如果，不要再嘗試重新創造出現實，

we aimed for something better?

我們設定更好的目標，如何？

Now there's already a multibillion-dollar industry devoted to just this,

已經有數十億美金的產業 投入在做這件事了，

instantly transporting you somewhere else

立即將你傳送到別的地方，

and enabling you to be present and creative

讓你能和來自世界各地的人 一起身在現場發揮創意。

with people from around the world.

And that is the games industry.

那就是遊戲產業。

Many games are laying the foundation for the metaverse,

許多遊戲都在為元宇宙打基礎，

and we've heard quite a lot about this metaverse recently.

最近我們常常聽到元宇宙。

I like to think of it as an evolved 3D and experiential version of the internet.

我喜歡把它想成是網際網路的 三維進化體驗版本。

To give you an example.

給各位一個例子。

Brands currently have websites and social media pages.

目前，品牌會有網站 和社群媒體頁面。

In the metaverse, these brands may also have

在元宇宙，這些品牌可能 也會有沉浸式體驗空間，

experiential immersive spaces

that you can visit and engage directly with whatever they're selling.

你可以造訪這些空間， 直接接觸它們銷售的產品。

So the metaverse is providing these new social creative spaces.

所以，元宇宙能提供 新的社群創意空間。

So if you find yourself worrying

如果你在擔心你的孩子 太沉迷在玩《當個創世神》、

that your child is playing too much Minecraft

or Roblox or Fortnite,

《機器磗塊》，或《要塞英雄》，

you can remind yourself that these are not just games.

你可以提醒自己，這些不只是遊戲。

They're hanging out with their friends.

他們在和朋友相處。

They’re practicing important life skills like empathy and teamwork.

他們在練習重要的生活技能， 如同理心和團隊合作。

And they’re often creating and innovating in these spaces,

且在這些空間中， 他們通常會創造和創新，

far more, dare I say, than you or I are on our fourth video call of the day.

我敢說還遠超越你我在當天的 第四場視訊會議中所做的。

Virtual reality, whilst it's not synonymous with the metaverse,

雖然虛擬實境不等同於元宇宙，

is one of the most powerful technologies we can use to access these spaces.

但卻是我們能用來進入 這些空間的強大技術之一。

And I believe with the power of VR,

我相信，有了虛擬實境的力量，

the metaverse will reignite workplace creativity

元宇宙將會再次點燃 工作場所的創意，

and inspire us to achieve the impossible.

並鼓舞我們去達成不可能的目標。

But let's take a step back here.

但，咱們先退一步。

The three key features of virtual reality

虛擬實境的三項關鍵特色

can be said to be immersion, interaction and imagination.

可說是沉浸、互動，和想像。

I like to call them the “three magic I’s.”

我稱它們為「三個神奇的 i」。

And the cool thing about the three magic I's

關於「三個神奇的 i」， 很酷的一點在於它們也是

is that they're also three key drivers,

創意合作背後的三個關鍵 動因，我是這麼認為的。

I believe, of creative collaboration as well.

So let's look at these in a bit more detail.

接著來細談它們。

The first is immersion.

第一個 i 是沉浸。

Immersion by this definition

沉浸的定義是當你的感官

is when your senses are isolated from your physical environment

脫離你所處的實體環境，

and put into an entirely different virtual environment.

被放入完全不同的虛擬環境中。

And technology is coming on so much

而科技進步了好多，

that we won't just be able to see, hear and feel things in VR,

我們不僅能在虛擬實境中 看到、聽到、感覺到事物，

but we'll be able to taste and smell them too.

還能嚐到、聞到它們。

The “internet of senses” is here,

「感官網路」問世了，

and it's completely revolutionizing how we interact with each other

它完全改革了我們在虛擬 環境中與彼此互動的方式。

in virtual environments.

Immersion gives us copresence.

沉浸讓我們有「共同在場」感。

That's that feeling of really being there with others.

也就是感覺和其他人一起在那裡。

And our brains don't know the difference

我們的大腦區別不出來

between virtual reality and reality reality

在虛擬實境中和在現實實境 當中的共同在場有什麼不同。

when it comes to copresence,

so we can be together psychologically, even when we're apart.

所以即使我們相隔兩地， 心理上還是可以在一起。

And this enables social creativity to thrive.

這就能讓社會創意得以發揮。

The second magic I is interaction.

第二個神奇的 i 是互動。

And interaction is where you can manipulate things within your environment

互動是你能操作你環境中的 東西，但它們其實不在那裡。

that isn't really there.

So when we design physical products,

所以當我們設計實體產品時，

we imagine them in 3D,

我們用三維的方式想像它們，

we produce them in 3D.

用三維的方式製造它們。

And yet traditionally, we've visualized them on 2D screens.

但，傳統上，我們用二維的 螢幕將它們視覺化呈現。

By using VR instead,

若改用虛擬實境，

we can do this in real time in 3D

我們能做到即時的三維呈現，

whilst being able to cocreate, discuss

同時能和我們的團隊

共同創造、討論，和操作這些設計。

and manipulate these designs with our teams.

The third magic I is imagination, and this is a biggie for me.

第三個神奇的 i 是想像，

對我來說很重要。

VR gives us the ability to do anything and be anywhere,

虛擬實境

讓我們能做任何事，到任何地方，

regardless of whether it exists in reality or not.

不論現實中是否存在。

Maybe you want to speak to someone in a different language

也許你會想用不同的 語言和某人說話，

and have that instantly translated above the avatar's head.

並在虛擬化身頭上顯示出即時翻譯。

也許你會想移師到吉力馬札羅 山頂上去做腦力激盪，

Perhaps you want to take your brainstorm on top of Kilimanjaro

or write your notes in dust on the Moon.

或者到月球上用塵土來寫你的筆記。

And yet, with all of the amazing possibilities afforded to us by VR,

但，雖然虛擬實境提供我們 這麼多不可思議的可能性，

lots of our virtual environments still mirror our physical environments.

許多我們的虛擬環境仍然 反映出我們的實體環境。

And there's a psychological reason for this.

這背後有個心理方面的原因。

A concept called “structured imagination”

有個概念叫做「結構性想像力」，

means that we tend to rely on existing paradigms when we create things.

意思就是，我們在創造東西時 通常會仰賴既有的範例。

In fact, let's try something quickly.

事實上，咱們來快速試一下。

I want you right now to imagine an animal that doesn't exist

現在，我想請大家

想像一種不存在的動物，

and be as creative as you can be.

且盡可能發揮你的創意。

Got something?

有成果了嗎？

So even though I told you to be as creative as you can be,

雖然我請大家盡可能發揮創意，

structured imagination tells me that most people will have imagined

結構性想像力告訴我們， 大部分人所想像的動物會有

an animal with eyes of some form and legs of some form,

某種形式的眼睛和某種形式的腳，

perhaps not dissimilar to Leggy McEyeface over here.

可能和這個長腿有眼 有臉的傢伙沒什麼不同。

Maybe that's just me.

也許只有我是這樣。

But we do the same things when we think about our workplaces.

但當我們去想我們的工作 場所時，也會做同樣的事。

We think of an office as a building with a roof and chairs and desks.

我們所想的辦公室

會是一棟大樓， 有屋頂、椅子，和桌子。

But we don't need a roof in the metaverse

但在元宇宙我們不需要屋頂，

because there's no precipitation.

因為不會下雨。

We don't need chairs with legs because the floor isn't really there.

我們不需要有腳的椅子， 因為地板其實不在那裡。

In fact, we don't need chairs at all.

事實上，我們根本不需要椅子。

Do you think that's air you're breathing right now?

你認為你現在呼吸的是空氣嗎？

And the problem with recreating things like traditional boardrooms

重新創造像傳統會議室 這類東西時會有個問題，

is that we know that stark corporate spaces

那就是我們知道刻板的企業空間

aren't conducive to creative collaboration.

對於創意合作沒有幫助。

So what else do we know about creative collaboration?

那麼，對於創意合作， 我們還知道什麼？

Thankfully, we know quite a lot.

謝天謝地，我們知道很多。

We know that retreats,

我們知道避靜，

breaking away from the day-to-day,

脫離日常生活，

can help induce creative thinking.

能協助誘導創意思考。

We know that some time alone for reflection

我們知道花點時間獨自省思

can help the team be more creative when they come back together.

能協助團隊在返回 工作崗位後更有創意。

We can speak to color psychologists

我們可以跟顏色心理學家談談，

who will tell you that gray is not a great color

他們會告訴你，灰色

在鼓勵創意方面 並不是個很好的顏色。

if you're trying to encourage creativity.

We know that nature,

我們知道大自然、

the unexpected

未預期的事物，

and even messiness can help induce divergent thinking.

甚至一團亂，

都能協助誘導擴散性思考。

So as we build our metaverse workplaces, we can be inspired by our imaginations

所以當我們在建造 元宇宙工作場所時，

可以從我們的想像取得靈感，

but guided by all of this fantastic research

但以過去這些出色的研究做為指引。

that's been done before.

Lots of people ask me how far we are away from a true metaverse,

很多人會問我，

我們離真正的元宇宙還有多遠？

and I don’t really have an answer for that.

我無法回答這個問題。

Or I do, but we’d be here all day.

也是可以啦，但要花上一整天。

But I will say two things.

但我要說兩件事。

The first thing is that using immersive technology

第一件事是

運用沉浸式科技並不是 工作場所溝通的未來，

is not the future of workplace communication.

It's the present.

而是現在。

Organizations, large and small,

組織，不論大小，

are already providing VR headsets to their employees

都已經在提供 VR 頭戴式顯示器給員工，

the same way that they would traditionally just provide a laptop,

就如同傳統上它們 會提供筆電給員工一樣，

to help their teams feel closer together,

旨在協助其團隊感覺更親近、

to encourage trust and to grow relationships.

鼓勵信任，

並發展關係。

Secondly, and importantly,

第二件事，很重要，

the impact that the metaverse will have on various areas of our lives

將來元宇宙對我們生活各面向的影響

will be profound.

會很深遠。

And as with anything created by humans,

和所有人類創造的東西一樣，

there's a potential for it to be incredibly positive

它有可能變得非常正面，

or devastatingly negative.

也有可能極度負面。

Just as social media, in the previous iteration of the internet,

就如同社群媒體， 在前一輪的網際網路中，

gave a voice to the voiceless and created jobs that didn’t exist before,

讓無法發聲的人也能發聲，

並創造出以前不存在的工作，

it also laid the foundation for dangerous monopolies

它也為危險的獨佔建立了基礎，

and for misinformation campaigns that have destabilized entire democracies.

還有讓整個民主國家 不穩定的造謠運動。

So ...

所以……

We have an incredible opportunity in front of us,

我們眼前有個大好機會，

an opportunity to completely reimagine work and how we collaborate.

完全重新想像工作 和協作方式的機會。

But we must use our human power of forethought

但，

我們必須要運用人類 深謀遠慮的力量，

to create the kind of future we want to see.

來創造我們想要看到的未來。

We must become conscious and deliberate creators of our own destinies.

我們必須有意識且刻意地 去創造我們自己的命運。

“Alice in Wonderland” symbolized curiosity,

《愛麗絲夢遊仙境》

象徵著好奇心、

imagination and experiencing the impossible.

想像力，

以及體驗不可能。

VR allows us to do the same.

虛擬實境也讓我們能做到這些。

So here's my ask of every leader today.

所以，以下是我對 各位領導者的請求。

Let's put on our VR headsets and follow that white rabbit.

咱們戴上 VR 頭戴式 顯示器，跟著小白兔走吧。

Let's chase our curiosity to impossible places in the metaverse

咱們去追求好奇心，

追到元宇宙中不可能的地方， 在那裡，什麼都可能發生——

where anything can happen --

and where we can solve humanity's biggest problems together.

在那裡，我們可以一同 解決人類最大的問題。

Thank you.

謝謝。

（掌聲）

(Applause)