Since this is a topic that is in the embryonic stage in the sector, let us first start with the definition of ”Metaverse.” The Metaverse represents the transition from Euclidean space to a virtual open space, converging physical and digital reality through representations - so-called Digital Twins.

Defined as an open and free space, the Metaverse may generate some concern, or at the very least it can be perplexing. At the same time it can bring interesting benefits, from the possibility of simulating creations and modifications without changing the physical object, to analyzing processes, phenomena and interactions, increasing the effectiveness of our activities and reducing the risks of error and failure.

On the surface, this concept might seem far removed from traditional machine thinking, but if we reflect upon it, we realize how it is based on principles that replicate the "human machine," where our "self" is continually renewed on the basis of data with which it enters into a relationship.

The metaverse brings a revolution to industry in the sense that it disrupts the paradigms of digital transformation and Industry 4.0: it is no longer machines, physical realities, that are brought online via IoT and digital platforms, making it possible to monitor them, control production processes remotely, and perform predictive maintenance. Instead, it is the digital experience built in the industrial metaverse that then translates into physical and operational reality.

For manufacturing companies with a strong culture of continuous improvement, simulation that uses real-time digital twin data to continuously ask "what if" questions about production has the ability to merge digital transformation, real-time analytics, artificial intelligence and predictive maintenance.

In the industrial metaverse, companies are able to develop training programs in a simpler, more certain, faster and less costly manner, as they do not need to physically assemble staff, but instead make use of the digital replication of the plant to train their staff, without distracting their technical teams from the activities they are engaged in.

It therefore turns out to be quite natural how the Metaverse will be one of the technologies that will contribute to strategic innovation, because it will enable companies and people to simulate and enhance their physical activities, access a higher level of training, and get a more exciting learning experience. Although the implementation of Metaverse technologies in the industrial sector is still in an embryonic development stage, we should prepare for the development of digital strategies that take advantage of this infrastructure.