As digital infrastructure becomes ever more embedded in our lives, businesses, and society, the boundary between the physical and virtual continues to dissolve, leading to a paradigm shift for consumer-oriented businesses. Understanding and engaging with today’s convergence of our physical and digital lives is not just about understanding technology; it’s about the fundamental shift in how we interact, work, play, and exist in an increasing digital-first world. The implications for consumer behaviour are potentially profound, making this an essential area of focus and exploration. What social dynamics will arise that are unique to the immersive environments? How do we create and support human-centric meaningful experiences there? How might the introduction of AI Agents and other new technologies change the way we interact and purchase in an AI-augmented world?

The introduction of immersive technologies has not just broadened the digital horizon but are fundamentally altering consumer expectations. This foresight project is created for Business Finland and aims to establish a framework for the evolving dynamics of the so-called ‘consumer metaverse’. Hence, the initiative focused on the consumer aspect of the metaverse, rather than the industrial metaverse.  

The future of the metaverse is about direction, not just the current technologies. The technologies we use today are merely tools that will evolve and be replaced over time. The true essence of the metaverse lies in its trajectory -  how it grows, adapts, and integrates into the fabric of our digital lives. By employing foresight methodologies, this project map the rapidly expanding landscape and use cases of the metaverse, looking for directions which will enable businesses to be prepared for the customer behaviour in a short- and long-term perspective.  

It is imperative for consumer businesses to not only keep pace with the changes happening today, expand current capabilities in order to grow. At the same time companies need to prepare for new capabilities, innovate and build entirely new business opportunities that can embrace the shifts in consumer expectations and behaviours.  

The goal of this project is to discover the opportunities contained inside the consumer metaverse for Finnish businesses, as well as to identify potential barriers and drivers in the contextual environment that may shape the future of consumer businesses in Finnish perspective.

The transition from traditional digital interactions to immersive and spatial metaverse experiences is a gradual process, influenced by technology adoption, cultural shifts, and the evolution of consumer needs and preferences. A great deal of critical questions need to be addressed to fully comprehend the area; When (if ever) will users fully embrace the consumer metaverse? What behaviour is already adaptable to the metaverse? How should consumer companies prepare for these changes and what business opportunities are there for consumer business in this transition? What solutions can boost the company by making it more profitable competitive and relevant? And for this project particularly; where are the business opportunities for the Finnish companies? Additionally, we look at adoption from a consumer perspective in order to help Finnish companies navigate the shift towards the consumer metaverse.

In focusing on the Finnish market, this project aspires to spotlight the unique business opportunities available to Finnish companies at the forefront of digital innovation. By providing an in-depth analysis of current trends and forecasting future developments, this foresight project is positioned to offer strategic insights that will not only inform but also inspire Finnish companies to embrace the digital future with confidence and creativity, navigating the uncertainties with the help of futures research.

As the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once stated: “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” In the complex and volatile environment surrounding immersive technologies, the lack of a vocabulary and a common understanding has led to a lot of confusion and ambiguity, with the term Metaverse becoming almost meaningless. We simply cannot envision possible futures if we don’t have a language to talk about them. It is time for a new vocabulary for the future.