In a strategic move away from the metaverse hype that once captivated the tech world, Meta is shifting its focus toward artificial intelligence (AI) and enterprise applications.
In a recent blog post titled “Game Changers: 3 Predictions for Technological Transformation in 2024 & Beyond,” Meta outlines its top three predictions for the evolving metaverse.
Prediction 1: Metaverse for Enterprise
Meta’s first prediction emphasizes that enterprise and education applications will demonstrate significant value in the metaverse.
This signals a noteworthy shift in Meta’s approach, with an increased focus on fostering enterprise adoption of its Quest headset hardware. The company acknowledges that the hype surrounding the metaverse has subsided and identifies AI as the new focal point of the tech landscape. Meta cites consumer interest and the Quest app’s performance on the Apple App Store but ultimately underscores the metaverse’s trajectory in 2024 and beyond through business use cases.
Examples include a computer-assisted-drawing collaboration tool and various enterprise applications. That’s just one of many applications for metaverse technologies. From training for the trades, skills acquisition for surgeons, and athletes staying at the top of their game to education, entrepreneurship, and beyond, people are tapping into the power of virtual and mixed reality to make a significant impact on learning outcomes today.
Prediction 2: Portable Artificial Intelligence
Taking the second spot in Meta’s game-changers for the metaverse is the integration of on-board large language models (LLMs).
While advanced systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude typically rely on cloud connectivity, Meta envisions on-board LLMs functioning entirely on devices. Meta aims to combine metaverse hardware with augmented reality, creating an informative heads-up display for everyday life.
The company highlights the early steps in this direction with Meta AI on Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and the introduction of multimodal features in Early Access, where users can interact with Meta AI for suggestions and information based on what they see.
Prediction 3: Business Messaging
The third game-changer identified by Meta is the role of business messaging tools in the metaverse. Meta recognizes the evolving expectations of people who want to interact with brands and businesses in new and more personalized ways.
While the past decade saw the rise of the enterprise-on-social paradigm, with brands engaging with consumers on social media, Meta anticipates a shift of this interaction into the metaverse. The integration of generative AI tools and the ongoing quest for monetization are expected to shape the landscape, offering new and more personal avenues for brand interactions within the burgeoning metaverse.
In conclusion, Meta’s strategic shift away from metaverse hype towards AI, enterprise applications, and business messaging reflects a nuanced understanding of evolving technological trends. The companies, creators, and entrepreneurs who can adapt and meet prospective customers where they are will be uniquely positioned to thrive as the metaverse continues to take shape.
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