Workforce reductions at Meta’s Reality Labs subsidiary, which produces bespoke silicon chips for AR/VR applications, could have an effect on the metaverse project.
The initial iteration of Meta’s futuristic smart glasses and augmented reality glasses is anticipated for release in 2019.
Despite obstacles, Meta is progressing in the metaverse by creating AI helpers for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp as well as developing avatar technology.
According to reports, the software firm Meta Platforms, which is leading the way toward the metaverse, is getting ready to drastically reduce the number of employees working in its Reality Labs section.
The Facebook Agile Silicon Team (FAST), a division of Meta, is in charge of developing unique silicon chips for the company’s augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) products.
Meta takes one step back and two steps forward:
Insider sources claim that a post on Meta’s internal Workplace discussion site served as the official notice of the layoffs. Although the size of the cuts is unknown, they may have a substantial impact and jeopardize CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s grandiose metaverse project.
The FAST division, which employs about 600 people, has been crucial in creating unique processors that set Meta’s products apart from rivals in the AR/VR market.
The budget reduction may have a significant impact on the creation of AR glasses, a project Zuckerberg believes in.
But despite these difficulties, Meta keeps coming up with new ideas. The most recent information is that the company is working on goods like smart glasses and augmented reality eyewear. Next year should see the completion of the initial edition.
There have been continuous issues with chip manufacture at Meta. For its current market gadgets, the corporation has consulted outside suppliers like Qualcomm.
This reduction in the workforce comes after a string of layoffs. Since November of last year, Meta has cut almost 21,000 positions in an effort to reduce costs in the face of weak revenue growth and increasing inflation.
Renewed: Metaverse Push
Meta still advances in the metaverse despite these obstacles. For instance, utilizing Meta’s Quest 3 headset, CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently demonstrated improvements in photorealistic avatar development.
With the help of this technology, which analyzes face expressions and records live facial data, avatars become incredibly lifelike.
The technology has already won plaudits even though it is not yet consumer-ready. The event was praised by podcaster Lex Fridman as “the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.” Jelle Prins, a coder, added,
Despite the upcoming layoffs, Meta is still dedicated to realizing its goal for the metaverse. The firm is well-positioned to continue making progress in the metaverse even as it manages staff restructuring and market issues thanks to its continuous development of AI assistants for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook as well as breakthroughs in avatar technology.
