Emirates will 'retain its human touch' amid metaverse push

Technology will enhance how customers are serviced, chief operating officer Adel Al Redha said at the Dubai Metaverse Assembly

The metaverse will help Emirates to offer passengers a more customised travel experience. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Emirates airline will ensure that it retains its "human touch" with passengers amid its push into the metaverse, chief operating officer Adel Al Redha said.

The airline truly believes the metaverse will add to how customers are serviced, but wants to do it correctly, he said at the Dubai Metaverse Assembly on Thursday.

"We need to maintain that human touch with our customers but at the same time you are looking for efficiency," he said.

"I am there when you need me — not to stop the process or slow it down. Intervention from the human is as and when required. The metaverse provides us the chance to do that."

The metaverse will enable passengers to choose what they want to eat, rather than only be given what is available, Mr Al Redha said. It will also allow them to decide when they want to sleep and what they want to watch on board the flight — all without the need for human interaction.

"Today, the expectation from customers is different," Mr Al Redha said.

"Say Wi-Fi is not working on board, [then] you are disappointed — people want to be in direct contact with others. We are cutting out the middleman and having efficiencies and passing it on to the customer."

He also highlighted that improved technologies and efficiencies were needed to train Emirates' growing cabin crew team, which totals 16,000 and is set to rise to 20,000 next year.

"It's a huge scale. Without the technology, you can't train them efficiently," he said.

The metaverse is the emerging space where people, represented by avatars or three-dimensional representations, can interact in virtual worlds.

It is part of Web3, the next evolutionary step of the internet, with blockchain, decentralisation, openness and greater user utility among its core components.

The UAE has taken a number of steps to integrate the metaverse and its related technology, including cryptocurrencies, into the economy, government and society.

Emirates said in April that it was planning to build brand experiences in the metaverse and launch collectible and utility-based non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The airline introduced virtual reality technology on its website and app more than five years ago, offering customers an interactive, 3D, 360-degree view of its cabin interior.

A date for the launch of its first products in the metaverse has not yet been confirmed.

Dubai Metaverse Assembly - in pictures

Presentations regarding different facets of Metaverse at the Dubai Metaverse Assembly at Museum of the Future. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, speaks about The Building Blocks for WEB 3.0 and the Metaverse.

From left, Alex Gubbay, Head of Digital at 'The National', moderator Amin Al Zarouni, of Bedu, Abdelrahman Mohamed, of MetaCon Global, Abdulla Mohamed Al Dhaheri, of Chaintech Lab, and Haya Al Gussain, of Evolve Network Club take part in the UAE Metaverse Contributors' panel discussion.

From left, Jane Witherspoon of Euronews moderates a panel discussion on 'Which sectors is the Metaverse already impacting' with Yusuf Bahadir, of GoArt, Vishal Gondal, founder and CEO of GOQii, David Clark-Joseph, of Pixelynx and Bradford Bird, of The Fabricant.

Tom Urquhart from Arabian Radio Network speaks about gaming with Ahmed Tehemar, of Gamefi.

From left, Mustafa Alrawi of 'The National' speaks to Adel Al Redha, CEO of Emirates about 'Opportunities in Aviation'.

A visitor tests a virtual reality headset at the Dubai Metaverse Assembly at Museum of Future.

From left, moderator Mina Al-Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief at 'The National', HSBC's Catherine Zhou, Alexander Chehade from Binance, Keith Jordan from Mastercard, DIFC Authority's Christian Kunz and Vinit Shah from the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority discuss the role of governments in virtual worlds.

Ziad Traboulsi from Meta addresses the assembly.

Gabriel Abed, ambassador of Barbados to the UAE, speaks about the future of nations in the Metaverse.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, attends the event at Museum of the Future.

From left, Euronews moderator Laura Buckwell, Cathy Li of the World Economic Forum, Digital Dubai's Marwan Al Zarouni, Meta's James Hairston and Balsam Danhach of FTX discuss 'Maximizing the Potential of Ecosystems on the Metaverse'.

Brandy Scott of the Arabian Radio Network, left, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World discuss 'How the Metaverse will Enable People and Operations'.

Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Digital Economy, AI and Remote Working System, speaks about 'Unlocking Dubai's Potential'.

Asma Shabab of Accenture leads the 'Building the Responsible Metaverse' discussion with virtual speaker Anne Groeppelin, also from Accenture.

Ms Li, left, and Mr Hairston, right, listen as Mr Al Zarouni makes a point.

Mr Al Olama, who is also Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and Vice Chairman of the Higher Committee for Future Technology and Digital Economy in Dubai.

Moderator Ms Buckwell leads the panel discussion on 'Maximizing the Potential of Ecosystems on the Metaverse'.

From left, The National's Sarah Forster moderates a discussion with Samuel Hamilton of the Decentraland Foundation, Majid Al Futtaim's Joe Abi Akl, Damac Properties' Ali Sajwani and Guy Parsonage from PwC on 'Opportunities in Virtual Real Estate'.

Ihab Foudeh from Microsoft speaks on the topic of 'Unravelling the Metaverse and its Future'.

Khalifa Al Jaziri Al Shehhi gives a presentation on 'Metaverse and the Economy'.

Some of the audience at the Dubai Metaverse Assembly.

From left, Mr Abi Akl, Mr Sajwani and Mr Parsonage continue their discussion.

The audience takes in the discussion.

Front-row seats for the Dubai Metaverse Assembly.

Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq, second from left, joins a discussion on 'Metaverse and the Economy' moderated by Karl Tlais, left, founder and strategic advisor of iAdvisory, Accenture managing director Bashar Kilani, second from right, and BCG Digital Ventures managing director and partner Mark Zaleski.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation gives the opening address.