Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

A 2022 poll has revealed Americans are worried about tech giants' control over their personal data despite underlying levels of excitement. With competition hotting up about who gets to design the metaverse, proactive steps to build trust could reap the rewards down the line.

Technological advances are continuously reshaping how people interact, engage, and communicate with one another in the digital world. But how will people navigate social situations in the metaverse? Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Guo Freeman about how people form relationships in social VR.

With VR an established part of young people’s digital lives, brands can lean on its immersive style of interaction to drive deeper engagement. 'Project (Hi)story of a Painting: The Light in the Shadow' uses VR to give people an interactive introduction to the history of art.

Innovations in AR and VR are giving storytellers, game developers, and brands new and more engaging ways of connecting with audiences. But what will get people excited about using these technologies? And how might these tools redefine play, fitness, and socialising in the digital realm?