Meta aims to integrate more generative AI technology into VR, AR, and mixed reality games to revive its struggling metaverse strategy.
A recent job listing indicates Meta is researching and prototyping “new consumer experiences” with innovative gameplay driven by generative AI, such as games that “change every time you play them” and follow “non-deterministic” paths. Additionally, Meta plans to create or collaborate with third-party creators and vendors on AI-powered tools to “improve workflow and time-to-market” for games.
The primary focus will be on Horizon, Meta’s suite of metaverse games, apps, and creation tools. However, this initiative might extend to games and experiences on “non-Meta” platforms like smartphones and PCs.
“This is a nascent area but has the potential to create new experiences that are not even possible to exist today,” the job listing states. “The innovation in this space could have a dramatic effect on the ecosystem as it should increase efficiency and allow considerably more content to be created.”
Meta did not respond to a request for comment.
These new efforts emerge as Meta’s Reality Labs division, responsible for the company’s various metaverse projects, including the Meta Quest headset, struggles to produce a blockbuster product. Despite selling millions of Quest units, Meta has had difficulty attracting users to its Horizon mixed reality platform and recovering from significant operating losses.
Meta recently shifted its metaverse platform strategy by allowing third-party headset manufacturers to license some of the Quest’s software-based features, like hand and body tracking. Concurrently, Meta has increased its investments in metaverse game projects, reportedly driven by CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s growing personal interest in developing games for Quest headsets.
Meta has previously expressed interest in generative AI metaverse experiences. In 2022, Zuckerberg showcased a prototype called Builder Bot, which allowed users to build parts of virtual worlds using prompts like “Let’s go to the beach.” Last year, Meta CTO and Reality Labs head Andrew Bosworth discussed generative AI tools in a blog post, highlighting their potential to “level the playing field” in creating metaverse content.
Meta’s Builder Bot tool was presented during the company’s 2022 Inside the Lab event. Image Credits: Meta
“Just like Instagram helped anyone be a creator, [these generative AI tools] won’t just boost the power of individual creators,” Bosworth wrote. “[T]hey’ll also act as a force multiplier for developers, giving small teams the horsepower of larger studios and accelerating innovation across the board.”
Generative AI has begun to enter game development, with companies like Disney-backed Inworld and Artificial Agency using the technology to create more dynamic game dialogues and narratives. Several platforms now offer tools to generate game art assets and character voices via AI, causing concern among some game creators about their job security.
Earlier this year, Meta announced plans to invest billions in generative AI and formed a new top-level team focused on generative AI products like AI characters and ads. In April, Zuckerberg cautioned that it will take “years” for the company to profit from generative AI, suggesting that these investments may not quickly reverse Reality Labs’ fortunes.
