Linux Foundation Establishes Path to Accelerate the Journey to an Open Metaverse

The Open Metaverse Foundation (OMF) was founded by the Linux Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to fostering innovation through open source, with the goal of providing a collaboration space for different industries to work on developing open source software and standards for an inclusive, universal, vendor-neutral, and scalable Metaverse.

To help the endeavor to realize this vision, numerous open source communities and thought-provoking organizations have joined as founding members. Among them are the ChainHub Foundation, the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, Futurewei, GenXP, Guangdong Digital Industry Research Institute, the Hyperledger Foundation, the LF Edge, the LF Networking, OpenSDV, the Open Voice Network, and Veriken. These participants work together to handle projects in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and edge computing, digital assets, transactions, identification, networking, simulations, security, and other areas.

“We’re still in the early days of the vision for an open Metaverse, and we recognize that many open source communities and foundations are working on vital pieces of this iterative puzzle”, “While the challenges may seem daunting, I’m energized by the opportunities to collaborate with a broad, global community to bring these pieces together as we transform this vision into reality.”

Royal O’Brien, Executive director, OMF.

Foundational Interest Groups of the OMF

The Open Metaverse Foundation is divided into Foundational Interest Groups (FIGs), which allow for a distributed, focused decision-making framework for important issues. FIGs offer specialized tools and platforms for finding fresh perspectives, completing tasks, and integrating new contributors. They are made up of individuals from particular disciplines who are dedicated to advancing projects or scalable technologies in their area of expertise as well as making sure that the management and ownership of the code for every identifiable project component (such as a GitHub.org repository, subdirectory, API, test, issue, or PR) is taken care of. Following are the eight OMF Foundational Interest Groups:

• Users
• Transactions
• Digital Assets
• Simulations and Virtual Worlds
• Artificial Intelligence
• Networking
• Security and Privacy
• Legal and Policy

Visit our website or get in touch with us to find out more information about the Open Metaverse Foundation. Join the community at upcoming events, such as the Open Source Summit North America, which will be held in Vancouver from May 10 to 12, by connecting with the community on Discord.

Supporting Quotes:

“The Metaverse brings exciting possibilities in revolutionizing the way we interact and engage, but with it comes immense technical challenges. Through the power of open innovation, the Open Metaverse Foundation will foster collaboration and community-driven development to realize this promise. The Cloud Native Computing Foundation looks forward to contributing its deep expertise to evolve cloud technologies and infrastructure in tackling these challenges. Together, we’ll build a truly open, accessible virtual world, where anyone can participate.”

Taylor Dolezal, Head of Ecosystem, Cloud Native Computing Foundation

“Our industry needs innovation through interoperability driven by open source and open standards to realize the promise of the Metaverse—if we’re to build something that benefits everyone—just as was the case with the early architecting of the Internet. Futurewei believes in the power of open source and open collaboration, and we’re excited to engage in building the Open Metaverse Foundation community to extend initiatives we already have underway in XR, Web3, mobile gaming and more.”

Anni Lai, Head of Open Source Operations and Marketing, Futurewei

“The Metaverse isn’t some expensive VR headset. It isn’t NFTs. It isn’t even Web3. The Metaverse is an open set of data standards that enables shared, accessible, persistent 3D experiences. The Open Metaverse Foundation provides a vehicle for industry-wide, community driven collaboration to develop open standards and open source implementations for an open Metaverse. As leaders in delivering tools and technology, we enable new and extraordinary ways to experience, engage and excite our users through interactive, immersive 3D experiences. GenXP is excited to join the Foundation to help make these experiences possible.”

Vince McMullin, CEO, GenXP

“We are just starting to see the potential of the Metaverse. The impact of combining the Internet  of place and value will be enormous if we work together to build open, scalable, decentralized technologies. The OMF brings the proven Linux Foundation open development model to this complex but exciting new opportunity and gives the companies and developers shaping it a neutral home to fulfill their vision. Hyperledger Foundation’s distributed ledger and digital trust  expertise and technologies will be critical building blocks for the effort.”

Daniela Barbosa, Executive Director, Hyperledger Foundation and General Manager, Blockchain and Identity, Linux Foundation

“The Metaverse is presenting unprecedented challenges for edge computing and networks. We expect the Open Metaverse Foundation to become the platform for defining the required  technological solutions. Industry-wide collaboration is the only way to embark on such complex endeavors. The LF Edge and Networking communities are well suited to deliver the open source technologies defined by the Open Metaverse Foundation. We are looking forward to close collaboration with the new Foundation and foresee many potential synergies between it and our projects.”

Ranny Haiby, CTO, Networking, Edge & Access Technologies, Linux Foundation

“At its core, the Open Metaverse Foundation is all about bringing a diversity of industry experts  and open source communities together to transform the concept of the Metaverse from promise to reality, while ensuring it delivers an amazing, immersive experience for all users. This is about optimal choice, a rich development ecosystem, safety and ease of use. That’s why the Open Voice Network – a Linux Foundation community developing open standards and ethical  use guidelines for the inevitable interface for the metaverse, conversational AI – is delighted to link arms with the Open Metaverse Foundation.”

Jon Stine, Executive Director, Open Voice Network

“The Metaverse will drive the demand for innovative digital products while providing the frameworks to connect creators directly with consumers, setting the stage for a disruptive opportunity not seen since the early days of the Internet. Veriken is excited to work with the Open Metaverse Foundation to create the open standards for digital commerce and property ownership necessary to accelerate the initial adoption of the Metaverse and protect the long term interests of all stakeholders, including consumers, individual artists and enterprises.”

Chris Clason, Founder and CEO, Veriken