Meta’s recent Connect keynote event marked a noticeable shift in focus, with a reduced emphasis on the term “metaverse.” While Mark Zuckerberg did mention the metaverse a few times during the event, a significant portion of his presentation was dedicated to highlighting Meta’s new AI features. These AI capabilities are intended to be integrated into platforms like Instagram and Facebook, as well as other non-metaverse applications, diverging from the metaverse-centric narrative of previous years. Notably, Horizon Worlds, Meta’s flagship metaverse experience from the previous year, received minimal attention.
This shift in focus may not come as a surprise to those who have followed Meta’s metaverse journey closely. The company has faced substantial financial setbacks in its metaverse ventures, leading to skepticism among investors. Additionally, Mark Zuckerberg has faced criticism for overhyping seemingly minor metaverse features in the past.
