Meta Scales Back Metaverse Push As Company Shifts Focus To AI

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(RTTNews) - Meta Platforms is scaling back key elements of its metaverse strategy as the company increasingly shifts investment toward artificial intelligence.

The company recently laid off about 10 percent of employees in its metaverse-focused division and announced that its flagship virtual world app, Horizon Worlds, will stop supporting new virtual-reality applications. Meta initially said access through VR headsets would end on June 15 but later clarified that some existing VR experiences will continue to be supported.

The move reflects a broader pivot by Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, who has increasingly emphasized AI development over immersive virtual worlds. The company plans to spend at least $115 billion this year, largely on artificial intelligence infrastructure including new data centers.

Meta originally launched its metaverse push after acquiring Oculus for $2 billion in 2014 and later rebranded the company from Facebook to Meta in 2021 to reflect the vision of a shared digital universe where people would work, socialize and play through avatars.

Despite billions of dollars in investment estimated at roughly $80 billion—the metaverse has remained a niche market compared with digital platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite.

Meta said it will continue investing in virtual and augmented reality technologies, including future headsets and smart glasses, even as AI becomes the company's central strategic focus.