The world is witnessing a seismic shift in technology and its influence on our lives. AI is already having wide-ranging impacts on business and society. Digital Twin technology – data-driven tech that creates online duplicates of complex systems, from industrial processes to the human body – is doing the same, albeit quieter. The Metaverse – a more immersive and interactive future version of the internet – promises to revolutionize how humans interact in the digital world. Interlinked with that, the ‘Smart City’ or ‘CitiVerse’ concept offers the prospect of a physical living environment far more responsive to citizens’ needs. The impact of these cutting-edge technologies is profound and promises to revolutionize how we work, live, and interact. But how does one navigate this uncharted digital terrain? Enter Dr. Christina Yan Zhang, a Metaverse pioneer and a visionary leading the charge toward a people-centered digital future. “They say we’re all here to put a dent in the universe – otherwise, why else even be here? Well, I am here to put a dent in the Metaverse,” Dr. Zhang says, expressing her resolve and passion for the emerging tech landscape.
Shaping the Metaverse
Dr. Zhang is an award-winning business leader with 17 years’ experience turning forward-thinking ideas into high-growth businesses. She has extensive experience working on innovation strategies with the UN, governments, universities, and companies. Between 2013 and 2020, she was the China Director for QS, the producer of the QS World University Ranking. Between 2008 and 2012, she was the first Chinese person elected to the national executive of the UK’s National Union of Students (NUS) since its foundation in 1922. She represented one million international students studying at 600 higher and further education institutions in the UK. Dr. Zhang is now the CEO and founder of The Metaverse Institute, a consultancy that brings together world-renowned experts in emerging technologies such as digital twins, AI, and smart cities, and works to share their insights with governments worldwide. She believes in harnessing the power of these technologies to create a positive, inclusive, and equitable future for everyone. “The Metaverse Institute works with UN agencies, governments, NGOs, private sector companies, investors, and research institutions to define effective Metaverse strategies, business models, target operating models, and governance and compliance audit controls,” she explains. This has direct relevance to people’s lives. She emphasizes: “The rapid development of digital infrastructure, high-performance computing, and AI can empower ordinary citizens to take a much more active role in the governance of their communities. This vision – the ‘CitiVerse’ – is central to the prosperous and sustainable future we want to build.”
Dr. Zhang also plays a key role in several Metaverse working groups at the UN’s International Telecommunications Union. She is vice-chair of the working group on sustainability, accessibility, and inclusion and co-chair of the group looking at pre-standardisation for the ‘CitiVerse.’ These groups will be crucial to creating global standards for the future development of the internet and how new data and communications technologies are used. She plans to ensure that sustainability and inclusivity are not forgotten in the drive towards our digital future. “I initiated and co-chaired a task group that produced the official UN definition of the ‘CitiVerse,’ which set out how cities worldwide can use Metaverse-related technologies to improve their citizens’ lives. I also wanted to ensure we incorporated reference to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Dr. Zhang’s work is not just about innovation but about ensuring the equitable application of technology. “We are now working on a report for the UN, gathering feedback from a global community of experts and organizations on their needs and expectations from the Metaverse. We aim to develop a comprehensive understanding of the current state of Metaverse development, identify the key challenges that hinder equity, accessibility, and inclusivity, and propose solutions for constructing a metaverse that benefits all. I want to be the leader who can assist both the public sector and the private sector to identify the best business models and governance to maximize the positive impact of frontier technologies such as the Metaverse, AI, and Digital Twins,” she states.
A Pioneer’s Journey
Dr. Zhang started her career in education, fostering skills and innovation among diverse groups, and at NUS, ensuring the voice of international students was heard by the UK government. She was driven by her belief that “we can always bring people together to explore common ground and work together to have mutually beneficial partnerships.” She pioneered research into the Metaverse as early as 2006, with a PhD examining how the first Metaverse platform, ‘Second Life,’ could be useful to the architecture, construction, and engineering industry. She served as China Director for QS, producer of one of the leading world university rankings, between 2013 and 2020, raising its profile significantly in the world’s second-largest economy. During this period, she advised government ministers, university presidents, and Fortune 500 CEOs on business, innovation, and skills policies. A highlight came in January 2016, when China’s Vice Premier promoted using QS’ rankings in the country’s budget decisions on higher education, affecting funding allocations to 3,005 universities with 48 million students and a total budget of £750bn.
Overcoming Challenges and Redefining Success
For Dr. Zhang, success is not about never facing failure. Instead, it’s about resilience. “Someone wise once said, ‘Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm,’” she says. She has overcome numerous challenges, choosing difficult paths and emerging triumphant. When asked about the most critical issue facing women in her industry, Dr. Zhang is clear: “Education.” She emphasizes the importance of empowering and educating girls from birth, ensuring they have the confidence to believe that they can become the top leader in any industry of their choice, the next Prime Minister of a country, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 firm, or the next Nobel Prize Winner. Her advice to other women who want to make strides in their respective fields is straightforward: “Follow your heart and just do it.”
The Future Beckons
Dr. Zhang hopes her work can inspire others and help lead the charge toward a more equitable, sustainable, and connected digital world. As we stand at the precipice of a digital revolution, she is realistic about the path ahead: “Improvements in technology often seem revolutionary in hindsight, but while they are still underway, they are incremental and nuanced, with many complex factors. Working out the full implications and the best strategies to take full advantage will take time.” She leaves us with this message: “I look forward to working with industry and governments to help navigate this landscape while bearing in mind our obligations to people, the planet, and the future.”
