4 NFT Trends To Watch Out For In 2022

Just like the other technological developments, NFTs are also changing and evolving every single day. The good old days of 2D static PFP images may be long gone. In this week’s blog post, let’s take a look at the top 4 NFT trends everybody is talking about this year.

1. Meet iNFTs: AI-Powered Intelligent Tokens

Non-fungible, valuable, unchangeable, and now intelligent, scalable, derivable, and interactive.

Smart phones, smart TVs, smart homes, and now smart NFTs? Nothing could be more apt to the unique nature of NFTs than artificial intelligence.

NFTs born from Blockchain technology are now taking the power of AI behind them. This new type of NFTs are called iNFTs. iNFTs differ from their “standard” cousins precisely by the infrastructure support provided by artificial intelligence. In this way, iNFTs will take on an interactive structure and may have the potential to reach human intelligence in the future. As if the number of technologies that could pose a threat to humanity was small enough… (We are just kidding.)

To make a clear definition after a short introduction, an iNFT is a smart NFT embedded with the GPT-3 prompt as part of an immutable smart contract. Even those who still see the NFT boom as a bubble or a passing wind seem to change their minds with the concept of iNFTs. 

The iNFTs in your wallet may undergo emotional mood changes during the day. Or you can ask how your iNFT is doing while you drink your morning coffee. Even you will not be able to set the limits of your creativity with iNFTs.

2. Audible Digital Ownership: Music NFTs

NFT technology, which radically changes the standards of every field it is involved in, is now becoming a key player in the music industry as well. In our previous blog posts, we mentioned how NFTs can contribute to the works of artists in terms of value and marketability. This new technology, which freed creatives and artists from the chronic pains of the industry, creates a fair environment for everyone regardless of their background.

Musicians, who frequently experience the same problems with third parties such as music broadcasting platforms and concert organizers, have already started to run into the safe arms of digital ownership. This new creator economy gives the creators the power of owning their own content without needing intermediaries. With the decreasing demand towards CDs and the unfair commission rates of streaming platforms, musicians can benefit from music NFTs especially after taking a major hir during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Music NFTs are already opening a new era for the traditional artist-fan relationship. Here are some recent examples:

• Jacques Greene auctioned off the broadcast rights to his single "Promise" as an NFT, which was sold for 7ETH.

• Disclosure created a song live from scratch while streaming on Twitch and immediately sold it as an NFT.

• Grimes has sold a series of digital artworks, including images and short videos of her music, for nearly $6 million.

• Most notably, on the third anniversary of 3LAU's "Ultraviolet" album, it raised over $11.6 million in crypto sales at an auction of 33 NFTs, with prizes including a platinum-plated vinyl version of the album and access to unreleased music.

3. New Trend Alert: GameFi and NFTs

Is 2022 the year of NFTs or the year of GameFi? We say it’s both!

The GameFi ecosystem, which enables gamers to earn income by bringing financial mechanisms to games, is positioned as a new income door. So where exactly do NFTs stand in this ecosystem?
This new unstoppable development of crypto assets is at the heart of the P2E model. The players who want to get both 'pleasure+profit' out of their 'time+interest' they invest in games started to enjoy the benefits of NFTs to the fullest.

The marketplaces in Blockchain gaming are on the rise not only with the tokens they launch but also with various NFT assets that yield in-game utility. It will be quite common to buy a spaceship or a gun NFT and use them in different games while earning tokens.

It's nice to make money while having fun on a new level of income. But can the 'professionalization' of gaming after a point cause games to lose their enjoyable nature? If we get up in the morning and start playing games as if we go to work, are they still going to be considered as a “leisure time activity”? I guess we will have to wait and see.

4. New Use Cases of Familiar Technologies: AR NFTs

Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper trend list without augmented reality. AR NFTs, are the new wonderkid of the NFT ecosystem, adding projects more fun and utility and creating a bond between the collection and collectors. 

If you already have an NFT collection, it's in your best interest to make it more fun and visionary. After all, we are living in the age of visual and immersive experiences. Almost in a way that the better we can see the things we own, the better they prove their existence. As Artlabs, we are a proud tech partner of various NFT projects supporting them with our AR display and virtual try-on solutions.

For brand owners, the opportunity to express themselves better to their customers is priceless, especially for those who sell both physical and digital products. We have no choice but to keep up with the latest developments of our 3-dimensional world, where our limits of perception and dimension are always evolving. Experiencing the AR version of the products you want to buy for yourself or for your avatar with the virtual try-on feature, helps buyers make more accurate decisions while increasing brand trust. Eventually, everyone who has the opportunity will want to try and buy the items they will wear or use in the metaverse. AR NFTs will become even more essential then.

Want to Be the Next Trendsetter?

As the line between digital and physical continues to blur, keeping up with the latest developments is starting to pay off for brands and creative projects. Making the most of these new innovations when developing your creative projects can be a critical move for both your business and your prospective community. If you want to bring your creative project to life with AR but do not know where to start, you can contact our professional team today. Who knows, maybe we will talk about your project in our next NFT trends article.