Speaking of the future of metaverse, Zhang Lu, founder and CEO of Soul App, expects that there will be a more authentic social experience and genuine connections in the social metaverse, despite that it is a virtual space.
Zhang Lu is the one who developed Soul App and she is also currently a pathfinder in the metaverse. In 2021, she put forward the concept of social metaverse, which is positioned as a virtual playground for the younger generations. Now, this virtual social networking is prevalent among Gen Z groups. What’s its magic? How does this platform entail the future of the social metaverse? In a recent interview, Zhang Lu shared her ideas for developing the Soul App.
Just like previous generations, Gen Z aspires for authentic social connections
It seems that Gen Z is different from all previous generations. They share diversified values and they are believed to be more rebellious toward social conventions. In terms of social networking, they are obsessed with short video platforms like TikTok. However, behind their social behaviors, their aspiration for authentic social connections remained increasingly high. This tendency is also observed on Soul App.
To cater to their demands, Zhang Lu developed a new kind of social networking that is distinct from the social mode favored by other platforms. In Soul metaverse, users are protected by their avatars, which are also the basis for their virtual identity. Moreover, Soul App’s AI would generate an interest graph for them to portray their personality. The AI will subsequently feed them to those with compatible personas.
Users regard this platform as a safe zone where they can escape for some moment from the tumultuous outside world. In the virtual platform, they feel it safe to remove their social masks and express their true feelings. As a result, young people naturally choose Soul App for the reason that they can freely explore new relationships and exchange high-quality communications with people who share similar values.
Soul metaverse offers a template of how technology innovates social life
The construction of a social metaverse is necessarily built on technological breakthroughs like Artificial Intelligence, and AR/VR. However, many companies have neglected that one of the core components of the metaverse is its social value. The metaverse brought by Soul App is a combination of the two.
Zhang Lu has always seen technology development as the driving force of Soul App and she is continuously increasing R&D investments. Currently, Soul App is leading its peers in formulating virtual avatars in the metaverse. It has previously planned to update its 2D-based avatars to 3D ones and now this mission is put on the agenda. Just recently, Soul App launched its NAWA 3D rendering engine, which is expected to generate 3D avatars based on the characteristics of real persons. With this engine, users can design their unique avatars and fully immerse into the virtual land with a new image.
What’s more, Soul metaverse is taking its users to experience a novel social life beyond imagination. On this platform, they can join Chat Parties to share common interests with a group of people. They can also follow the guidance of AI to build social connections. Last but not least, they can communicate with each other through gamified interactions. Soul metaverse is fulfilling the imagination of future social life.
The metaverse is both the future of social life and the digital economy
Worries concerning the metaverse have long been heard since its birth. After the fever for NFT collections ceased, it seemed that the public immediately turned to the next topic. However, the truth is that this is just one of the necessary stages in the development of new things. The metaverse still remains a heated topic, and its development is closely watched by investors from various industries.
The market of the metaverse is booming and this is also observed in Soul App. In other words, the fever for the metaverse economy has never ceased so far. Previously, Zhang Lu led her team to launch the first digital avatar collectibles, the Möbius collections. According to the latest data, more than 24, 000 people have ordered the avatar in advance. Now, Soul metaverse has become a platform that has nurtured the development of the digital economy.
The metaverse is expected to commence its next stage of development. Simultaneously, companies large and small are taking this opportunity to create value and write their stories. Previously, Soul App officially filed its prospectus to Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ready to go public. It is revealed that the overall revenue of Soul App reached 1.28 billion in 2021, up 157.3% year-over-year increase, with a gross margin of 85%. Meanwhile, its user pool is expanding at a rapid speed. In 2021, its DAU user base reached 9,3 million, a 55.8% increase over the previous year.
Zhang Lu has incubated a social metaverse from the initial social networking platform and this Soul metaverse is taking shape as the prototype of future human society. She held the belief that more authentic social connections will be developed in the virtual social paradise and she is taking pragmatic measures to further improve this social metaverse.
