Metaverse: Opinions, Popular Players, and What’s Next

Facebook recently announced that it’s changing its brand name to Meta, amid broad criticism around the brand’s impact on society. This change is largely seen as a move to reinstate faith among the general public and to regain trust with the policymakers.

While Mark Zuckerberg believes that metaverse is the next big thing where people will interact, communicate, and work; others disagree. For instance, Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has expressed concerns about the metaverse and AI.

“All of the people who talk about metaverses are talking about worlds that are more satisfying than the current world – you’re richer, more handsome, more beautiful, more powerful, faster,” Schmidt told The New York Times. “So, in some years, people will choose to spend more time with their goggles on in the metaverse. And who gets to set the rules? The world will become more digital than physical. And that’s not necessarily the best thing for human society.”

He believes that AI technology is a “giant, false God” and the algorithms used by Meta will create an unhealthy and parasocial environment. He opines during his NYT interview:

“What does an A.I.-enabled best friend look like, especially to a child? What does A.I.-enabled war look like? Does A.I. perceive aspects of reality that we don’t? Is it possible that A.I. will see things that humans cannot comprehend?”

Schmidt isn’t the only business leader wary of technology. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, also criticized AI saying that his confidence around the transparency and safety of technology “is not high.”