Zuckerberg's new life-like avatars laugh off the old critics

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By Matthew Griffin Virtual World 10th September 2023

WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

The cartoon avatars that dominate today’s Metaverse could soon be yesterday’s news and make human interactions more ‘real.’

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Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has been struggling to convince the world that its vision of the Metaverse is worth pursuing. The social media giant rebranded itself in October 2022, hoping to create a more immersive and interactive online experience for its users. However, the initial response was far from positive. Many people mocked the cartoonish and unrealistic avatars that Meta showcased in its demonstration video, which lasted for over an hour. Others questioned the need and feasibility of creating a virtual world that mimics real life.

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Meta’s ambitious project also faced financial challenges. The company reported a loss of $4.28 billion in the first quarter of 2022, with its revenue from Meta Reality Labs, the division responsible for developing the metaverse, being much lower than expected. Meta also faced competition from other tech companies, such as Microsoft and Apple, that were working on their own versions of augmented and virtual reality.

Real or not real?

But Meta is not giving up on its metaverse dream. In fact, it seems to have made some significant improvements in its technology and design. In a recent podcast with AI researcher Lex Fridman, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that he and Fridman were having a conversation in the metaverse, using ultra-realistic avatars that resembled their actual faces and expressions. The avatars were created using a technology called ‘Codec Avatars,’ which involves scanning one’s face and body in different poses and emotions and then compressing the data into a codec that can be transmitted over the internet.

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Zuckerberg said that the codec avatars were part of a research project by Meta Reality Labs and that the company was working on making them more accessible and affordable for the users. He said that Meta was developing a project where one could use their phones to do a quick scan of their face and create a high-quality avatar in just a few minutes rather than having to use today’s much bulker photogrammetry rigs. He also said that Meta was exploring ways to make the avatars more expressive and customizable, as well as integrating AI into the metaverse to enhance the user experience.

Zuckerberg said that he believed that the metaverse would be the next frontier of human communication and collaboration and that Meta was committed to being a metaverse-first company. He said that he hoped that people around the world would come to know the Meta brand and the future it stands for.

Will Meta’s new avatar succeed in winning over the skeptics and critics? Will the metaverse become a reality or remain a fantasy? Only time will tell.

Matthew Griffin / About Author

Matthew Griffin, described as “The Adviser behind the Advisers” and a “Young Kurzweil,” is the founder and CEO of the World Futures Forum and the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures consultancy working across the next 50 years, and is an award winning futurist, and author of “Codex of the Future” series.

Regularly featured in the global media, including AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, RT, Viacom, and WIRED, Matthew’s ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of revolutionary emerging technologies on global culture, industry and society, is unparalleled. Recognised for the past six years as one of the world’s foremost futurists, innovation and strategy experts Matthew is an international speaker who helps governments, investors, multi-nationals and regulators around the world envision, build and lead an inclusive, sustainable future.

A rare talent Matthew’s recent work includes mentoring Lunar XPrize teams, re-envisioning global education and training with the G20, and helping the world’s largest organisations envision and ideate the future of their products and services, industries, and countries.

Matthew's clients include three Prime Ministers and several governments, including the G7, Accenture, Aon, Bain & Co, BCG, Credit Suisse, Dell EMC, Dentons, Deloitte, E&Y, GEMS, Huawei, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, Lego, McKinsey, PWC, Qualcomm, SAP, Samsung, Sopra Steria, T-Mobile, and many more.