Gartner Predicts 25% of People Will Spend At Least One Hour Per Day in the Metaverse by 2026

Rhea-AI Summary

Gartner's Insights on the Metaverse: By 2026, 25% of individuals will spend at least one hour daily in the metaverse for various activities, as reported by Gartner. The metaverse is defined as a collective virtual space that merges physical and digital realities. It promises a vibrant virtual economy supported by digital currencies and NFTs. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 30% of organizations will offer products tailored for the metaverse, enhancing business engagement and collaboration. However, investments in metaverse technologies must be approached cautiously due to their nascent and fragmented nature.

Positive

• By 2026, 30% of organizations will have products ready for the metaverse, indicating significant business opportunities.
• The metaverse could enhance employee engagement and collaboration through immersive virtual workspaces.

Negative

• Adoption of metaverse technologies is still fragmented, raising uncertainty for long-term investments.
• There is a caution against heavily investing in specific metaverse solutions due to the lack of clarity on viable long-term options.

Metaverse Hype to Transition into New Business Models that Extend Digital Business

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- By 2026, 25% of people will spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse for work, shopping, education, social and/or entertainment, according to Gartner, Inc.

“Vendors are already building ways for users to replicate their lives in digital worlds,” said Marty Resnick, research vice president at Gartner. “From attending virtual classrooms to buying digital land and constructing virtual homes, these activities are currently being conducted in separate environments. Eventually, they will take place in a single environment – the metaverse – with multiple destinations across technologies and experiences.”

Gartner defines a metaverse as a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. It is persistent, providing enhanced immersive experiences, as well as device independent and accessible through any type of device, from tablets to head-mounted displays.

Because no single vendor will own the metaverse, Gartner expects it to have a virtual economy enabled by digital currencies and nonfungible tokens (NFTs). The metaverse will impact every business that consumers interact with every day.

It will also impact how work gets done. Enterprises will provide better engagement, collaboration and connection to their employees through immersive workspaces in virtual offices. Businesses will not need to create their own infrastructure to do so because the metaverse will provide the framework. In addition, virtual events that have gained popularity over the last 18 months will offer more collaborative and immersive networking opportunities and workshops.

“Enterprises will have the ability to expand and enhance their business models in unprecedented ways by moving from a digital business to a metaverse business,” said Resnick. “By 2026, 30% of the organizations in the world will have products and services ready for metaverse.”

The adoption of metaverse technologies is nascent and fragmented, and Gartner cautions organizations about investing heavily in a specific metaverse. “It is still too early to know which investments will be viable in the long term, but product managers should take the time to learn, explore and prepare for a metaverse in order to position themselves competitively,” said Resnick.

Gartner clients can read more in “Predicts 2022: 4 Technology Bets for Building the Digital Future” and “Quick Answer: What is a Metaverse.”

More information will be discussed in the complimentary Gartner webinar “Immediate and Future Metaverse Opportunities for Product Leaders.” Learn which emerging technologies can help generate ROI in the Gartner Emerging Technologies Roadmap.

About Gartner for Information Technology Executives

Gartner for Information Technology Executives provides actionable, objective insight to CIOs and IT leaders to help them drive their organizations through digital transformation and lead business growth. Additional information is available at www.gartner.com/en/information-technology.

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About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) delivers actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams. Our expert guidance and tools enable faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization’s most critical priorities. To learn more, visit gartner.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220207005085/en/

Meghan Rimol

Gartner

+1 571 303 4009

meghan.rimol@gartner.com

Source: Gartner, Inc.

FAQ

What does Gartner predict about metaverse engagement by 2026 for stock symbol IT?

Gartner predicts that by 2026, 25% of people will spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse for various activities.

How will the metaverse impact business models according to the press release related to IT?

Gartner states that by 2026, 30% of organizations will have products and services specifically for the metaverse, leading to new business models.

What caution does Gartner provide regarding investments in the metaverse for IT investors?

Gartner cautions organizations about investing heavily in a specific metaverse, due to the nascent and fragmented nature of the technology.

How does Gartner define the metaverse in their recent press release for IT?

Gartner defines the metaverse as a collective virtual shared space that merges virtually enhanced physical and digital realities.