The Dream of Digital Ownership, Powered by the Metaverse | Yat Siu | TED

譯者: C Leung 審譯者: 麗玲 辛

You've all seen the bombastic headlines.

各位都看過這誇大的標題：

"The metaverse is dead."

「元宇宙已死。」

But is it actually true?

但事實真的如此？

I was certainly alarmed by the media reporting

我所從事的行業

被媒體報導成已經消亡， 讓我感到震驚。

on the alleged demise of the industry in which I'm so involved in.

So I thought I'd check in on the metaverse,

所以我想了解元宇宙， 看看它的情況如何。

see how it was doing.

The metaverse is very young, after all, and we should keep an eye on it.

畢竟，元宇宙還很年輕， 我們應該繼續關注它。

And what I found was that the metaverse was very much the same metaverse

我的發現是，元宇宙 和我上次查看時的沒兩樣，

as last I checked,

except it had grown bigger and more impactful.

只是規模更大且更具影響力。

I saw a place where millions of people who had been financially excluded

我看到數百萬位在財務上被排擠的人，

find employment and real economic opportunities.

在元宇宙中找到工作 和真正的經濟機會；

I saw a place where participants, either singly or in groups,

我看到元宇宙的參與者， 不論是以個人或團體形式，

formed complex systems that very much resembled

組成了複雜的系統，且這些系統

the workings of modern capitalist societies.

與現代資本主義社會運作十分相似；

I saw a place last year that generated over 30 billion dollars

我看到元宇宙在去年產生了價值 超過 300 億美元的經濟活動，

of economic activity

and had treasuries maintained by those same communities

且還有 120 億美元的資金， 也是由同樣這些社區維持。

to the tune of 12 billion dollars.

Now, let's put that a little bit in context.

讓我們以實例來看。

The metaverse has reserves

元宇宙的儲備金

just below that of the fiscal reserves of New Zealand

僅略低於紐西蘭的財政儲備，

and greater economic activity than the GDP of Cyprus,

其經濟活動卻超過了塞浦路斯、

Iceland and 100 other countries.

冰島和其他一百個國家的 國內生產毛額 。

The metaverse seems to be doing OK,

元宇宙似乎做得還不錯，

but this may not be quite the metaverse that you're thinking of.

但這或非你心目中的元宇宙。

You might be thinking of the metaverse

你可能認為元宇宙

as this 3D virtual-reality immersive space with additional sensory stimulation.

是一個具有額外感官刺激的 三維虛擬實境沉浸式空間。

No, what I'm talking about is the open metaverse,

不，我所說的是 由 web3 和區塊鏈驅動的

powered by web3 and blockchain.

開放式元宇宙。

The treasuries that I'm referring to

我所指的資金是 DAO （去中心化自治組織）的資金。

are the treasuries of DAOs.

Twelve billion dollars within control of its communities

120 億美元由其社區控制，

without any central authority.

沒有任何中央權力機構。

The banking system underlying the open metaverse is DeFi.

開放式元宇宙 的基礎銀行系統是 DeFi 。

You might have heard of decentralized finance before,

你以前或許聽過「去中心化金融」，

but you may not have known

但你可能不知道

that it is part and parcel of the open metaverse.

它是開放式元宇宙不可或缺的部分 。

All of this open metaverse is powered by blockchain

這些開放式元宇宙都由區塊鏈驅動，

and comprises part of what we describe as web3,

組成我們所指 web3 的一部分，

which we firmly believe will be the future iteration of the internet,

我們堅信，web3 將是

目前還處於 web2 階段的 互聯網的未來迭代 。

which is currently still mostly in the web2 stage.

To access the open metaverse, you don't need fancy VR goggles,

你不需要花巧的 VR 眼鏡， 去進入開放式元宇宙，

you just need plain old boring 2D screens.

只需要普通舊款的 2D 螢幕就可。

And you can enter a rich,

你就可以進入一個豐富多彩，

thriving universe of capitalist economic societies

欣欣向榮的資本主義經濟社會，

that have virtual worlds, businesses, enterprises, experiences

那裡有虛擬世界、商業、大企業、體驗

with millions of digital citizens.

和數以百萬計的數位公民。

Our lives already have a very strong virtual component.

我們的生活已有很強的虛擬成分。

In Asia, where I live,

在我生活的亞洲，

we spend over nine hours a day online.

我們每天花超過九小時在網絡上。

That is most of our waking hours.

那是我們醒著的大部分時間。

And perhaps for most of us,

可能對我們多數人來說，

just think about what it is you do the first thing in the morning.

只要想想每天早上 你做的第一件事就知道了。

But in this virtual reality,

但在這個虛擬世界裡，

we are like serfs, toiling on the lands of medieval lords.

我們就像農奴， 在中世紀領主的土地上苦幹。

We have no ownership, no rights to speak of.

我們沒有所有權，沒有任何權利可言。

Our digital existence can be removed on any of these platforms

我們的數位存在身分 可能隨時在任何一個平台上被刪除，

at a moment's notice without any due process.

無需經任何法律程序。

Whenever we are online,

只要我們一上線，

we accrue value to networks that don't belong to us.

我們就會為 不屬於我們的網絡積累價值。

We are farmed for our time, attention and creativity

我們的時間、注意力 和創造力都被榨取，

and in so doing, generate large quantities of data.

並由此產生大量數據。

And data is the most valuable of resources.

而數據就是最寶貴的資源。

For starters, it's powering all of the AI

首先，它驅動了我們耳熟能詳的AI。

that we've been hearing so much about.

No data,

沒有數據，

no ChatGPT,

就沒有 ChatGPT，

no self-driving cars.

就沒有自動駕駛汽車。

The entire foundation of the AI industry is built on top of our data.

整個 AI 產業的基礎 都建立在我們的數據上。

And not just AI.

不單單是 AI。

Every industry covets our data.

每個行業都在垂涎我們的數據。

Data is the new labor.

數據是新的勞動力，

And we're not being fairly compensated for it.

而我們卻沒有得到公平回報。

We create it,

我們創造了它，

but it is exclusively owned by the publishers and platforms today.

但如今，它完全歸出版商和平台所有。

That is a world of web2 we live in today,

那是我們今天所處的 web2 世界，

but web3 and blockchain can change that

但 web3 和區塊鏈 可以改變這種狀況，

because unlike web2,

因爲不同於 web2，

we can now finally have true digital ownership.

我們現在終於可以擁有 真正的數位所有權。

Ownership of things gives us corresponding economic freedoms.

對事物的所有權 賦予我們相應的經濟自由。

The freedom to transact, to do with as we please.

交易的自由，隨心所欲的自由。

It also allows us to partake in all the network effects

它還能讓我們分享 與這些物品所有權相關的

related to the ownership of these things.

全部網絡效應。

Think about all the businesses that have been created

想想那些因為我們擁有物品

just because we own things,

而誕生的企業，

such as the cars we have, houses we live in,

比如我們擁有的汽車、居所、

or even the phones.

甚至手機。

Ownership also speaks to our identity.

所有權也關係到我們的身份。

We buy and purchase things because of what it means to us.

購物，是因為物品對我們的意義。

Self expression, ownership of these things,

自我表達，這些物品的所有權

such as fashion, jewelry, and yes,

如時裝、珠寶，對，

even NFTs.

甚至是 NFT （非同質化代幣） 。

A lot of people struggle with web3 and NFTs

很多人對 Web3 和 NFT 都很糾結，

because they see the prices at the higher end of things.

因為他們看到是高端品的價格。

They look at this bored ape and say,

他們看着這隻無聊猿說：

"How can this be more valuable than this Birkin bag,

「它怎可能比這個實實在在，

which is an actual, real item?"

真正的柏金包更值錢呢？」

But people don't buy this Birkin bag because they want to put stuff in it.

但人們買這個柏金包， 並非因他們想用來放東西。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Ninety-nine percent of its value is entirely virtual network effects

它 99% 的價值 完全來自於柏金包的愛好者

upheld by the community of Birkin bag lovers

羣體的虛擬網絡效應，

who find them desirable and valuable.

他們認爲這些皮包 是值得擁有、有價值的。

Its utility is a very distant second.

其實用性遠次於此。

And this is perhaps true for almost everything that we purchase

這也許適用於我們在現實世界中 購買的所有物品。

in the real world.

Owning the story,

擁有故事、

owning a part of the culture,

擁有其文化的一部分、

being a part of the community that forms part of our identity

成為建構我們身份的社區一份子，

is why we buy things.

就是我們購物的原因。

The same is true for the open metaverse.

開放式元宇宙也一樣。

Ownership, identity, culture and community

所有權、身份、文化和社區

are far more important considerations for most of us

對我們大多數人來說，

than just its utility.

遠比實用性重要。

And if this still feels far-fetched to you, consider this.

如果你仍然覺得牽強， 不妨想一下：

Last year,

去年，

the video game industry generated over 100 billion dollars of sales

電子遊戲產業 創造了超過 1000 億美元的

in virtual goods.

虛擬商品銷售額。

And the fun fact is that all of the things that they purchased

而有趣的事實是，他們購買的所有東西

were predominantly cosmetic and whimsical in nature.

都以化妝品和古怪性質爲主。

Skins, trinkets, decorative items.

造型、小飾物、裝飾品。

Things that make your virtual identities shine.

這些東西讓你的虛擬身份閃閃生輝。

Just ask your kids what they want for the next presents.

問問你的孩子想要什麼禮物就知道了。

But everything you purchase in those worlds in video games today,

但如今你在電子遊戲世界中購買的一切，

we don't own.

都不屬於我們。

That's 100 billion dollars of rental goods.

這是價值 1000 億美元的租賃品。

NFTs can change that

NFT 可以改變這種狀況，

because now we can actually own these virtual goods.

因為現在我們可以 真正擁有這些虛擬商品。

When you own an NFT, such as virtual land in the metaverse,

當你擁有 NFT， 例如元宇宙中的虛擬土地時，

you become a stakeholder.

你就成為持份者。

You become an owner.

你成為擁有者。

Any time you own an asset in web3,

任何時候，只要你 擁有 web3 中的資產，

it represents a stake in that network that you wish to participate in.

它就代表了你在想參與的 網絡中的持份。

Imagine every time you shared something on Instagram,

想像每當你在 Instagram 上 分享一些東西，

for value you generated,

你所產生的價值

you would receive a small stake in the network

就會在該社交網絡中

that would be that social network.

獲得一小部的股份。

Think of the open metaverse as the construction of new economies

將開放式元宇宙 視為在數位產權的堅實基礎上，

and new societies

with a strong foundation of digital property rights.

所構建的新經濟和新社會。

This presents us with a remarkable opportunity

這為我們提供一個絕佳機會，

to shift away from this current form of shareholder capitalism

讓我們從目前這種已將許多人撇下， 即股東形式資本主義，

that has left so many people behind,

to this newer form of stakeholder capitalism

轉為較新的持份者形式資本主義，

in which every participant can now also become an owner.

讓每個參與者現在都可以成為擁有者。

This, to me,

在我看來，

is what tokenization and web3 is all about.

這就是代幣化和 web3 的意義所在。

That is the meaning of the open metaverse.

這就是開放式元宇宙的意義所在。

Tokenization is perhaps also

代幣化或許是保護我們的 數位知識產權的最佳方式。

the best way in which we can protect our digital intellectual property rights.

When Getty Images sued the creators of Stable Diffusion,

當蓋帝圖像 (Getty Images) 起訴 Stable Diffusion 的創作者時，

they did so because they could tell that they were using their images

他們之所以這樣做， 是因為他們知道這些創作者

to train their AI models.

正使用他們的圖片來訓練 AI 模型。

But they could only do so because Stable Diffusion was sloppy.

但他們能提告， 只因 Stable Diffusion 做得太馬虎。

You could see the Getty Images watermark all over the generated images.

你可以在生成的圖片上 看到蓋帝圖像的水印。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Most of us won't be so lucky.

我們多數人都不會這麼幸運。

Blockchain can help solve the provenance of our digital property

區塊鏈可以幫助我們 解決數位財產的起源問題，

and lay the foundation of protecting our rights.

並奠定基礎來保護我們的權利。

In this web3 future,

在這個 web3 的未來，

all of us can get to earn and own a piece of the equity

大家都可以在我們構建 和發展的這些網絡中

on these networks that we construct and grow.

賺取和擁有部分資產。

All the data that we generate today ...

我們今天產生的所有數據......

should be paying us an income.

都應該為我們帶來收入，

And all the other benefits that property rights may bring.

以及產權可能帶來的其他好處。

That is why web3 is so often described as the internet of ownership.

這就是 web3 常被描述為 所有權互聯網的原因。

And ownership has always been a key pillar to prosperity.

所有權一直是繁榮的關鍵支柱。

There is a clear correlation between property rights

產權與國家財富之間 有着明顯的相關性。

and the wealth of nations.

Countries such as Canada and the US

加拿大和美國等產權健全的國家，

that enjoy strong property rights

have very high GDPs, high wealth,

擁有極高的 GDP、財富、

strong entrepreneurial and capitalist activities

強大的企業和資本主義活動，

compared to those countries that have very low property rights,

而那些產權極低的國家

that tend to have low GDPs

往往有較低 GDP，

and also tend to be the poorest in the world.

也常常是世界上最貧窮的國家。

Countries with strong property rights

產權健全的國家 也相應擁有更高自由度。

also have correspondingly much higher freedoms.

True digital property rights

真正的數位產權

provides us with a chance to create a fairer,

為我們提供機會，創造更公平、

more inclusive form of capitalism.

更具包容性的資本主義。

One that can still provide all the incentives

它仍能提供各種激勵措施，

to help entrepreneurship and innovation flourish,

幫助企業創新蓬勃發展，

as capitalism has done for centuries before.

就像資本主義幾個世紀以來所做的一樣。

This can already be seen in the digital context.

這一點在數位領域已經有所體現。

Last year, NFTs generated over 24 billion dollars of sales.

去年，NFT 產生了 超過 240 億美元的銷售額。

The majority of that went to the creators and owners of these NFTs.

當中大部分都歸於 這些 NFT 的創作者和擁有者。

Web2 platforms, such as Spotify,

而 Web2 平台如 Spotify，

paid only a third of that to its creators in that same year.

在同一年只向創作者 支付了其中的三分一。

George Washington famously wrote,

喬治·華盛頓曾寫下名言：

"Freedom and property rights are inseparable.

「自由與產權不可分割。

You can't have one without the other."

二者缺一不可。」

The same is true for the virtual realm.

虛擬領域也一樣。

In order to ensure our digital freedom,

為了確保我們的數位自由，

that we not be slaves to either platforms

讓我們不會成為任何平台

or any of the future AIs,

或未來 AI 的奴隸，

we must also have true digital property rights.

我們還須擁有真正的數位產權。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）