
Internet technology is developing at an extremely fast speed. In addition to the current progress of Web3 (mainly characterized by openness, decentralization, and empowerment of users), there is also a more cutting-edge and comprehensive Internet vision that is being conceived, that is Web4.
On July 11, 2023, the European Commission adopted a new strategy on Web4 and the virtual world, with the aim of guiding the next technological transformation and ensuring an open, secure, trustworthy and fair Internet of Things for EU citizens, businesses and public administrations and an inclusive digital environment.
The EU proposed Web4 for the following reasons:
· Grasp the next outlet of Internet technology development and improve Europe's international discourse power and competitiveness. The European Union expects that by 2030, the global virtual world market will grow from 27 billion euros (about 216.5 billion yuan) in 2022 to more than 800 billion euros. As an important part of the global market, Europe hopes to become a world leader in Web4 and the virtual world through the implementation of this strategy.
· Provide a clear direction for the future development of the Internet and solve the problem of fragmentation. The European Union believes that Web4 is a technology that uses advanced artificial intelligence and environmental intelligence, the Internet of Things, trusted blockchain transactions, virtual worlds and XR (mixed reality) technologies to enable the virtual world and the real world to fully integrate and communicate with each other, thereby The way to create an immersive experience that ultimately seamlessly connects the virtual and real worlds. This approach will overcome the fragmentation, isolation, and insecurity of the current Internet, and provide users with more choices, control, and value.
· Support social progress and virtual public services. The EU believes that Web4 and the virtual world will bring innovation and change in various fields, such as education, medical care, culture, entertainment, tourism, etc. The EU will support excellence in the European Web4 industrial ecosystem and invest in virtual public services. For example, the committee is launching two new public flagship projects: CitiVerse, a virtual urban environment that can be used for urban planning and management; Provide access.
Definition and core ideas of Web4
Web4 is a concept proposed by the European Commission in a new strategy on Web4 and the virtual world released on July 11, 2023. It echoes and covers the term Web3, and will become a new integration of virtual experience, Internet of Things and blockchain. Part of the Internet Vision.
The core idea of Web4 is to seamlessly integrate the digital world and the real world, and enhance the interaction between humans and machines to achieve a truly intuitive and immersive experience. Web4 will allow users to create, share, experience and trade various content and assets in the virtual world, and move freely between different virtual platforms. Web4 will also give users more rights and sovereignty, allowing them to control and utilize their data, manage their online identities, and participate in network governance.
The technical architecture and main functions of Web4
The technical architecture of Web4 is based on the integration and collaboration of various advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and environmental intelligence, Internet of Things, trusted blockchain transactions, virtual world and XR (mixed reality) technology, etc. These technologies will provide the following main functions for Web4:
Ambient intelligence: Collect and analyze data in the real environment through IoT devices and sensors, and combine it with data in the digital environment to realize perception, understanding and response to the environment.
· Artificial intelligence: Through machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision and other technologies, provide analysis and prediction of user behavior, preferences, emotions, etc., and provide users with personalized, intelligent, and adaptive services and experiences.
Trusted blockchain: Through technologies such as distributed ledgers, encryption algorithms, and consensus mechanisms, it provides secure, transparent, and traceable management and verification of assets, transactions, and identities in the virtual world, and supports decentralized network governance.
· Virtual world: Create and present a variety of realistic and immersive virtual scenes and objects through 3D modeling, rendering, animation and other technologies, and support users to create, share, experience and interact in them.
· XR (Mixed Reality): Through virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and other technologies, digital content is integrated with the real environment, and through head-mounted display (HMD), gesture recognition, Voice control and other methods provide users with a full range of sensory stimulation.
The difference between Web4 and Web3
Web3 is the third generation of the World Wide Web. Its main features are openness, decentralization, and user data sovereignty. Users can control and utilize their own data, manage their online identities, and participate in network governance. Web3 mainly relies on blockchain technology, as well as other decentralized technologies such as IPFS (Interplanetary File System), DID (Decentralized Identity), DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), etc.
Web4 is a concept proposed by the European Commission that echoes and overlays the Web3 term and will be part of a new Internet vision where virtual experiences, IoT and blockchain converge. Web4 not only inherits the characteristics of Web3, but also increases the seamless integration and interaction of the virtual world and the real world to achieve a truly intuitive and immersive experience.
· Web4 not only relies on blockchain technology, but also integrates artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, virtual world and XR (mixed reality) technologies to provide more functions and services.
· Web4 not only pays attention to users' data sovereignty and network governance, but also pays attention to users' creativity and experience, supports users to create, share, experience and trade various content and assets in the virtual world, and freely migrate between different virtual platforms .
· Web4 is not only a technical concept, but also a social concept, involving social progress and virtual public services, such as education, medical care, culture, entertainment, tourism, etc.
Innovative upgrade of Web4
Web4 has undergone innovative upgrades in the following dimensions:
· From fragmentation to seamless integration: Web4 will break the fragmentation, isolation, incompatibility and other problems existing in the current Internet, realize seamless connection and interaction between the real world and the virtual world, and provide users with more smooth, consistent and efficient experience.
· From passive consumption to active creation: Web4 will give users more rights and sovereignty, allowing them to control and utilize their own data, manage their online identities, and participate in network governance. At the same time, Web4 will also stimulate user creativity and experience, support users to create, share, experience and trade various content and assets in the virtual world, and freely migrate between different virtual platforms.
· From 2D plane to 3D space: Web4 will use 3D modeling, rendering, animation and other technologies to create and present a variety of realistic and immersive virtual scenes and objects, and use head-mounted displays (HMD), Gesture recognition, voice control and other methods provide users with a full range of sensory stimulation.
· From single technology to multi-technology integration: Web4 will be based on the integration and collaboration of multiple advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and environmental intelligence, Internet of Things, trusted blockchain transactions, virtual world and XR (mixed reality) technology, etc. These technologies will provide more functions and services for Web4.
Perceptions and expectations of Web4 within the EU
The perception of Web4 within the EU is positive and expectations are high. EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said: "Today Europe is officially a world leader in Web 4 and the virtual world. Europe has what it takes to lead the next technological transformation: innovative start-ups, A wealth of creative content and industrial applications, a strong role as a global standard-setter, and a legal framework conducive to innovation and predictability.”
Margrethe Vestager, Vice President of the European Commission, also said: "Web 4 and the virtual world will bring us endless possibilities. We can learn new skills, enjoy cultural activities and even explore the world in a virtual environment. Other planets. We can create and trade new digital assets in the virtual world, such as NFT. We can interact with real-world people and objects in the virtual world, such as through European virtual human twins. Our goal is to make Europeans able to take full advantage of these opportunities while protecting their rights and values.”
The mainstream view of the encryption industry on Web4
The encryption industry is skeptical of the mainstream view of Web4, and believes that Web4 proposed by the European Union is an overly ambitious and vague concept, lacking specific implementation details and plans, and not fully considering the status and development of Web3. The encryption industry believes that Web4 is a political propaganda of the EU trying to overtake in the blockchain field, rather than a real technological innovation.
Opportunities and Opportunities for Ordinary Entrepreneurs and Investors in the Web4 Field
Although the encryption industry is skeptical of the mainstream view of Web4, this does not mean that ordinary entrepreneurs and investors have no opportunities and opportunities in the Web4 field. On the contrary, Web4, as a brand-new Internet vision, will bring innovation and change in various fields, such as education, medical care, culture, entertainment, tourism and so on. At the same time, Web4 will also involve many emerging or future technology tracks, such as Metaverse, NFT, zk technology, payment applications, etc.
Therefore, ordinary entrepreneurs and investors can look for opportunities and opportunities in the Web4 field from the following aspects:
· Pay attention to the EU's strategies and initiatives on Web4, as well as the projects and platforms involved, such as virtual world partnerships, CitiVerse, European virtual human twins, etc., understand their goals, progress, needs and challenges, and look for opportunities for cooperation or investment.
· Follow the technological development and innovation of Web4, such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, trusted blockchain, virtual world and XR (mixed reality) technologies, understand their advantages, limitations, applications and trends, and look for opportunities for creation or investment.
· Pay attention to the social impact and value of Web4, such as education, medical care, culture, entertainment, tourism and other fields, understand its needs, problems, solutions and effects, and look for service or investment opportunities.
· Pay attention to the user behavior and experience of Web4, such as creation, sharing, experience and transaction, understand their motivation, preference, satisfaction and feedback, and look for opportunities for optimization or investment.
In short, Web4 is a concept full of possibilities and challenges. The Web4 strategy proposed by the European Union is a leading attempt, but it also requires more technological breakthroughs and market verification. Ordinary entrepreneurs and investors can pay attention to the development of the Web4 field from multiple angles, and look for opportunities and opportunities that suit them.

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