Mark Zuckerberg has effectively buried the concept of the metaverse without making any formal announcement. Despite his ambitious plans and investments of billions of dollars, the metaverse failed to become the Next Big Thing for the social media giant.
The metaverse was meant to be an immersive virtual world where people could interact with each other through specialized glasses and virtual reality headsets. However, it never took off, and Reality Labs, the division responsible for metaverse projects, suffered cumulative losses of nearly $24 billion between 2021 and 2022.
Zuckerberg has now shifted his focus to artificial intelligence (AI), which experts consider to be a true technological revolution. He recently created a new top-level product group at Meta that is solely focused on generative AI. By redirecting attention away from the failed metaverse project, Zuckerberg is sparing himself the humiliation of acknowledging that he was wrong.
The pivot to AI is a wise move, as it is already changing the way we interact with technology. For instance, ChatGPT, the most visible manifestation of AI, has revolutionized internet search by providing human-like responses to queries. Additionally, companies can now use chatbots to carry out repetitive and tedious tasks more efficiently.
Zuckerberg’s strength lies in his ability to quickly adapt to new ideas and trends. He knows how to capture the spirit of the times, which has allowed him to find new conquests after the failure of the metaverse. His recent move to AI demonstrates that he is still a trailblazer in the tech world.
In conclusion, the metaverse was just a passing fad for Zuckerberg, who has now turned his attention to AI. He buried the metaverse quietly, without any fanfare, as it was an affair that lasted long enough for him to find a new conquest.