Meta has new job openings for its metaverse unit at its California headquarters, following recent layoffs at its Reality Labs unit. The social networking giant is looking for professionals skilled in generative AI (GenAI), suggesting it could integrate the emerging technology with its metaverse-related efforts in the future. Under CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the company has been developing technology related to software and hardware for the metaverse since it rebranded from Facebook to Meta in 2021.
Meta’s recent job posting suggests AI is coming to the gaming metaverse
A new job offer suggests that Meta is considering combining generative AI technology with games featuring virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) content.
The job posting states that the role within Meta Metaverse Content’s leadership team will involve building a GenAI strategy for the company’s games (starting with Reality Labs), with a focus on Horizon, to build the “next generation of content through generative AI,” including AR, VR and MR content.
Meta Horizon OS is the operating system (OS) the company developed to power its Quest headsets, which are the gateway to Meta’s immersive gaming ecosystem, which includes titles such as Horizon worlds.
According to the job description, the employee would work as an individual contributor to finalize Meta’s GenAI strategy for content creation and games. This will involve collaborating with game makers and developers, and researching and prototyping new consumer experiences (including new forms of gameplay). In addition, the assigned individual will also be responsible for managing the R&D budget to complete “multiple experimental work streams,” the company said.
Meta to focus more on streamlining metaverse team
Last month, Meta split the Reality Labs team into two parts: one to oversee metaverse-related initiatives and another to focus on other cutting-edge technologies like AR and VR. Reality Labs, founded by Zuckerberg in 2022, has been the focal point of Meta’s exploration of metaverse technology.
At that time the company was Reportedly announced multiple layoffs as part of Reality Labs’ restructuring.
Led by Vishal Shah, Reality Labs’ Metaverse unit will oversee development of the Quest VR headset, Horizon OS, and Meta’s social VR platform Horizon Worlds.
Reality Labs has been loss-making since its inception.
The unit posted a loss of $13.7 billion (approximately Rs 1,122 billion) in 2022, followed by a loss of $46.5 billion, while generating revenue of nearly $11 billion (approximately Rs 91,744 crore) in Q4 2023.
