During the Meta Connect event, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stage to announce the highly anticipated Quest 3 headset. However, what caught everyone off guard was the fact that Zuckerberg went a full 33 minutes without mentioning the term “metaverse.” This was a significant departure from Meta’s previous emphasis on this concept, which had become synonymous with the company’s rebranding two years ago.
Key Takeaway
Mark Zuckerberg surprisingly avoided discussing the “metaverse” during his Meta Connect presentation, opting instead to focus on other aspects of the company’s vision.
Throughout his presentation, Zuckerberg delved into various topics, including a text adventure game with an AI inspired by Snoop Dogg, transforming his dog into origami using AI, and even expressing his fascination with cage fighting. It became increasingly clear that he was intentionally avoiding any mention of the metaverse. Speculating on the reasons behind this omission, it seems likely that someone must have advised him not to discuss it, given the potential scrutiny and backlash that could arise.
When the metaverse did finally come up, it was during a demonstration of AI assistants with specific personalities, including virtual representations of celebrities like Naomi Osaka and Charli D’Amelio. Zuckerberg revealed that these AI personalities would be able to interact across platforms. He further mentioned that Meta is working on incorporating these AIs as avatars in the metaverse, allowing users to integrate them into games and other experiences within Horizon Worlds.
This shift in messaging shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Meta has been trying to position itself beyond just virtual reality (VR). In recent earnings calls, Zuckerberg has emphasized the company’s focus on advancements in AI, and Meta’s commitment to the metaverse. This approach aims to counter the perception that Meta is moving away from its original metaverse vision.
Despite the excitement around the Quest 3 headset, Meta’s Reality Labs, the division responsible for VR and AR products, continues to face challenges. In the last quarter, Meta’s VR and AR products generated only $276 million in revenue, while Reality Labs reported a loss of $3.7 billion.
Overall, Zuckerberg’s silence on the metaverse during the Meta Connect event suggests a conscious effort to reshape Meta’s narrative and focus on other areas of technological innovation. Although the metaverse remains an essential part of Meta’s long-term vision, the company is currently emphasizing its progress in AI and exploring a broader range of possibilities beyond VR.
