Empowering the Metaverse with Generative AI: Survey and Future Directions

This paper aims to motivate the development of the metaverse by highlighting the potential of artificial-intelligence-generated content (AIGC) for the metaverse. We present the first literature review on AIGC in the metaverse with state-of-the-art research classified into 5 key application areas (avatars and Non-player Characters (NPCs), content creation, virtual world generation, automatic digital twin, and personalization). Having noticed a notable gap in research through our review, we propose ways in which state-of-the-art generative AI can be applied to the metaverse. Additionally, we offer a roadmap for future research with related ethical implications.