Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Metaverse Era: A Review on Models and Applications

The Metaverse is a decentralized, immersive 3-dimensional virtual environment that merges the physical and virtual worlds, fundamentally transforming digital interaction and garnering widespread attention. However, its primary platforms face challenges such as low-quality content and underdeveloped virtual environments, leading to a subpar user experience. Artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) has emerged as a key driver in Metaverse development, enabling the efficient and cost-effective creation of digital content. AIGC also promotes personalized content, further enhancing the appeal of the Metaverse. Although AIGC holds great promise, comprehensive investigations into its underlying models and applications remain limited. This study begins with the core neural network architectures of generative AI and examines the relationship between the Metaverse and AIGC. It delves into the deep learning technologies that support AIGC, providing both qualitative and quantitative analyses of their advantages, limitations, and hardware constraints. We also review existing practical applications of the Metaverse, highlighting the challenges and future opportunities in key domains such as healthcare and education. The research concludes that while AIGC can markedly accelerate the development of the Metaverse, its technology must be more closely aligned with development needs to deliver a truly immersive experience. The integration of AIGC and the Metaverse represents the convergence of artificial intelligence, computer graphics, and human-computer interaction. This interdisciplinary synergy has the potential to redefine the way we create, interact with, and experience digital environments, pushing the boundaries of creativity and immersion.