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

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

I'm a total wildlife nerd.

我是個徹底的野生生物迷，

But I’m also a career technologist,

從事科學技術之職。

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

我花了二十年才想通

如何將兩者結合 來促進野生生物保育。

towards wildlife conservation.

But I think I finally got it.

但我想我終於找到答案了。

Technology has come so far in that time in generating data

在那段時間科技進步了好多，影響到

about our planet and its other non-human inhabitants.

地球及其非人類居民的 相關資料產生。

For example, there's a satellite in space

舉例來說，太空中有衛星

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

專門用來追蹤數百種物種的移動。

We can pluck DNA samples from rivers, soil and dung

我們能從河流、土壤， 及糞便中採集 DNA 樣本，

to identify individual animals.

來辨識出是哪一種動物。

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

而此時此刻，有鯨魚和海豹 帶著感測器在到處游，

collecting ocean data for us.

為我們收集海洋資料。

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

這些資料對於保護地球的 科學來說是相當珍貴的。

But I think it could be even more valuable.

但我認為還可以更珍貴。

What if we use that data to give wild animals

如果我們運用這些資料，

來給野生生物獨一無二的 數位身分識別，

a unique digital identity that's recognizable by humans?

讓人類可以辨識牠們，會如何？

Now why would we do this?

為什麼要這樣做？

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

我們大都有數位身分識別，

用來彼此溝通及社交。

and socialize with each other.

But Albert in St. Louis, for example,

但，舉例來說，聖路易斯的艾伯特

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

沒辦法和婆羅州的 一隻猩猩建立連結。

How can we expect him to empathize with its protection?

我們怎麼能期望 他會同理對猩猩的保護？

If we want to preserve all life on Earth,

如果我們想要保護 地球上的所有生命，

we need to create relationships with all life on Earth.

我們就得要和地球上的 所有生命建立關係。

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

而關係的基礎，就是要認得 某人獨一無二得身分識別。

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

所以，也許給那隻猩猩一個身分 識別就能建立和艾伯特的聯繫，

that helps them both in the real world.

在真實世界裡對他們兩方都有益。

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

這也許看似牽強附會，但並不是。

The technology and the data exist to do it.

實現它所需要的技術和資料都有了。

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

但光是創造身分識別並不足夠。

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

需要有一個地方，讓牠們 能活過來並被人類找到。

Somewhere that creates an immersive and active way

這個地方要能創造

一種沉浸式且主動的 方式，來保持投入參與。

to stay engaged.

Well, if current predictions come true,

嗯，

如果目前的預測成真，

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

將來我們大部分的社交、 工作，和玩樂都會轉移，

移到遊戲中、虛擬空間中，

virtual spaces and yes, the metaverse.

是的，還有元宇宙。

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

那就是說故事、建立關係的地方。

So for every human avatar

所以，每個人類在這些空間中

that is interacting or consuming in these spaces,

都有用來互動或消費的虛擬化身，

let’s have the same for Mweituria the elephant,

咱們也給大象穆伊托利亞 這種虛擬化身，

Ataia the Jaguar, Fio the orangutan

還有還有美洲豹艾沙亞、猩猩費歐，

and hundreds of thousands more.

還有其他數十萬隻動物。

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

因為有資料支持，牠們一生的事件

can be recreated digitally.

能用數位方式重新創造出來。

That might be the health of Fio,

有可能是費歐的健康、

the migration of Mweituria,

穆伊托利亞的遷移、

a newborn cub to Ataia.

艾沙亞新生出來的寶寶。

And these events, and others,

這些事件，及其他事件，

create the moments

能創造出一些時刻，

for people to feel the space to feel emotionally bonded.

讓大家能夠感受到情緒連結的空間。

Not because they all of a sudden want to,

並不是說大家突然想要這麼做，

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

而是因為他們現在有 以前沒有的門路。

Some will use that space to connect directly

有些人會用那個空間來直接

with orangutan researchers in Borneo.

連結在婆羅州的猩猩研究者。

Others will identify new patterns in elephant movements.

有些人會找出大象移動的新模式。

Some will learn about deforestation by actually witnessing it.

有些人會透過實際見證 來了解森林砍伐。

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

而我們很快就會從這個 價值上兆美金的部門來賺錢，

to help finance further science and habitat protection.

把錢用來資助進一步的 科學研究和棲息地保護。

Which means that virtual worlds can directly benefit the real world

那就表示，虛擬世界

可以直接讓真實世界受惠，

as opposed to being detached from it.

而不是和真實世界分開。

And we've been experimenting with this

我們一直在做相關的實驗，用的是

using the real data of animals like Fio and others.

動物的真實資料，如費歐等等。

And we found that

我們發現，雖然我們的遠景仍然

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

離真正實現有數年之遠的距離，

the platforms to make it happen already exist.

但讓讓它成真的平台已經存在了。

Microsoft's Flight Simulator,

《微軟飛行模擬》，

it includes two trillion of the world's trees.

它包含有全世界的兩兆棵樹木。

It could include all the world's wildlife.

它也可以納入全世界的野生生物。

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

愛迪達最近在它的

健身 APP 的運動員中納入了 五隻用 GPS 追蹤的動物，

for its users to compete against.

當作使用者的競賽對手。

It could include thousands more.

它還可以再放入數千隻。

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

《要塞英雄》最近舉辦了 崔維斯‧史考特的虛擬音樂會。

They transported over 27 million of their users

他們把至少兩千七百萬名 使用者送到虛構世界中，

to a fictional world to witness that concert.

去見證那場音樂會。

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

咱們把下一場辦在亞馬遜雨林吧。

Imagine if Ataia the Jaguar walks by during the show.

想像一下如果在表演時 美洲豹艾沙亞走過去會如何。

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

我承認，我會害怕

我推動的部分理念可能會造成 人和自然世界有更大的分裂。

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

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

如果能的話，我會更想改成

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

把大家接到婆羅州去， 讓他們和費歐相處一小時。

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

但費歐的自然世界確確實實

正在我們的眼前步向死亡。

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

我們需要大大改變

我們和其他物種建立關係的方式。

Otherwise, yeah, the next 100 years of wildlife conservation

要不然，是啊，

接下來一百年的野生生物 保育將仍然會一直是

will continue to be an uphill, losing battle.

一場無法打贏的硬仗。

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

只是時間問題，遲早 會有某個版本的元宇宙

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

會改變我們運用時間 以及與彼此互動的方式。

And however you may feel about that,

不論你對此作何感想，

we have to make sure that Mweituria, Ataia, Fio

我們必須要確保穆伊托利亞、

艾沙亞、費歐，

and millions more animals are included,

及其他數百萬隻動物都被納入其中，

play a role and benefit.

有角色能扮演，且能受惠。

And not get left behind.

不要被拋棄。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）