Identifying Key Factors to Distinguish Artificial and Human Avatars in the Metaverse: Insights from Software Practitioners.

The Metaverse comprises a network of interconnected 3D virtual worlds, poised to become the primary gateway for future online experiences. These experiences hinge upon the use of avatars, participants' virtual counterparts capable of exhibiting human-like non-verbal behaviors, such as gestures, walking, dancing, and social interaction. Discerning between human and artificial avatars becomes crucial as the concept gains prominence. Advances in artificial intelligence have facilitated the creation of virtual human-like entities, underscoring the importance of distinguishing between virtual agents and human characters. This paper investigates the factors differentiating human and virtual participants within the Metaverse environment. A semi-structured interview approach was employed, with data collected from software practitioners (N = 10). Our preliminary findings indicate that response speed, adaptability to unforeseen events, and recurring scenarios play significant roles in determining whether an entity in the virtual world is a human or an intelligent agent.