Keanu Reeves, the Hollywood star behind “The Matrix” trilogy is over the moon about crypto, metaverse, and NFT. In a recent interview with Wired on Tuesday in line with his promotion of the latest John Wick 4 movie, Reeves said:
“I think the principle, the ideas behind an independent currency, are amazing.”
Matrix Movie, An AI Prophecy?
In fact, the Matrix (1999), is considered to be some sort of a prophecy of how artificial intelligence would evolve, which is embraced by the modern world today.
Although it is not specified in the original film, most fans assume that the Matrix takes place in the late 22nd century. The events of the film take place in a virtual environment that is meant to imitate the late 20th century, so the precise year is unknown.
The AI industry is expected to explode in the coming years. Image: Interesting Engineering.
The year 2199 is depicted as being the true world outside of the synthetic reality in the sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
The whole concept used to be just a part of that futuristic imagination, but today is proof that imagination can become real. Artificial Intelligence, as we know it, just keeps on evolving and these tools are creeping into everything, even on NFT art.
On the topic of the metaverse, Reeves said:
“It’s this sensorium. It’s spectacle […] a system of control and manipulation. We’re on our knees looking at cave walls and seeing the projections, and we’re not having the chance to look behind us. Or to the side.”
Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix. Image: People.com
Reeves who played “Neo” in the three-part Matrix flick, also recently rolled out the Futureverse Foundation, a charitable organization that was launched in June 2022 by Non-Fungible Labs.
The project is in collaboration with Fluf World NFT and his partner, Alexandra Grant. The foundation is actually the idea of Grant, and Reeves is showing his full support in this endeavor to provide more opportunities to creative artists that are somewhat underrepresented.
In addition, Reeves and Grant are also both advisers of the Futureverse Foundation and they seek to help encourage the growth of the metaverse.
Image: California Business Journal
‘Pooh-Pooh-ing’ Crypto Only Empowers It, Reeves Says
The famous Matrix star also revealed in December 2021, that he in fact owns crypto. He said that a friend bought some for him and he hasn’t touched it since then. Reeves also joked that the idea behind Bitcoin also came from the John Wick movie.
While Reeves previously was skeptical regarding the metaverse and also NFTs due to its volatile nature, he now holds strong opinions of support that crypto will emerge stronger and more resilient than ever despite the constant hurdles it has been facing over the years.
“So, to pooh-pooh crypto, or the volatility of cryptocurrency, it’s only going to make it better in terms of how it’s safeguarded,” the actor pointed out, without providing further details.
Crypto total market cap at $1 trillion on the daily chart | Chart: TradingView.com
AI Industry To Keep Expanding
According to a survey by Grand View Research, the worldwide AI market was worth $62.35 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40.2% between 2021 and 2028.
Major tech companies like Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, IBM and Amazon are also pouring large amounts of money in AI research and development.
Meanwhile, some of the Hollywood celebrities who support, or have invested in crypto, are Paris Hilton (socialite), Ashton Kutcher (actor), Snoop Dogg (rapper), Gwyneth Paltrow (actress), and Tom Brady (NFL quarterback).
At the time of writing, the total market cap of all cryptocurrencies is $1.4 trillion, according to data by TradingView.
-Featured image from Literary Hub
