"Metaverse" (meta = beyond + universe) is a term usually used to define the future of the internet: made up shared 3d virtual spaces linked into a perceived universe. In this virtual world, you will be able to interact with people and places using avatars. Technology companies are envisioning various types of metaverseplatforms. Some platforms will be based on blockchain and allow users to purchase land and build environments using non-fungible tokens and cryptocurrencies. Other platforms may be more general virtual worlds where people can work, play, or socialize. The point of the metaverse will be to merge our physical reality into the digital universe using avatars. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will play a key role in the development of a metaverse. The new era of themetaversewill have implications on all aspects of our society, including entertainment, advertising, and the economy. For example, imagine ametaversein which you can use your avatar to go into a virtual mall, try on clothes offered by real clothing companies, and then purchase the outfits that look best on your avatar (and therefore on you) without even leaving your house. During the pandemic, musicians have been able to put on virtual concerts using virtual reality akin to what ametaversewould be like. New ways of virtual interactions will provide ample opportunity for marketing, sales, and events without the need for physical presence. The regulation of intellectual property will pose challenges. US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia held that an AI system cannot be named as an inventor on a patent. Unlike US patent law, US copyright law does not have an express requirement of human authorship; however, US courts and the US Copyright Office generally operate on the basis of this requirement and deny registrations of works not created by humans. Under US Copyright Office Guidelines,"the term 'authorship' implies that, for a work to be copyrightable, it must owe its origin to a human being". Materials produced solely by nature, by plants, or by animals are not copyrightable. The metaverse could have virtual creations by avatars and AI aspects built into them. If such creations are deemed to be AI creations and not human creations--what does this mean for copyright protection. Please answer the following:

(1) How should we apply old law to new world tech? When a community creates a virtual world, who should own the resulting copyright in works created within the environment? If you have a protected brand in the real world, and someone uses it in the virtual world, should you be able to bring a claim?

(2) Do you see any dangers associated with widespread participation in the metaverse?