At a recent conference, IBM discussed their interest in Second Life and virtual worlds. They've purchased several Second Life islands, experimenting with virtual storefronts and areas where IBM employees can connect with each other and share ideas. The company sees virtual worlds as a way to hire and keep talented young employees.
A generation of kids reared in virtual worlds like Second Life or MTV's Laguna Beach are eventually bound for a work force that will need to cater to their experiences by creating virtual worlds for the corporate intranet.
Personally, I'm not entirely convinced that the hype for Second Life is warranted, at least at this stage. There seems to be a great deal of curiosity about "virtual spaces" and the possibilities for collaboration and interaction they create. However, we had one really big "virtual space" for about a decade - the Internet - and I don't see American workers staying home in droves, reporting to work through their broadband connection. The Internet, for individuals in close proximity in "real" space, acts as a more efficient way to exchange information or organize life; it really only acts as a primary means of interacting for colleagues or friends who are dispersed geographically. Perhaps Second Life and similar tools will settle into similar patterns.
article at news.com
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