Zuckerberg’s new life-like avatars laugh off the old critics
The cartoon avatars that dominate today's Metaverse could soon be yesterday's news and make human interactions more 'real.'
Key takeaways
- 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.
- 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.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2023) 'Zuckerberg’s new life-like avatars laugh off the old critics', 311 Institute, 10 September. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/zuckerbergs-new-life-like-avatars-laugh-off-the-old-critics/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
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.
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.
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.
What this means for your organisation
Realism makes virtual presence credible.
Cartoon avatars made virtual meetings feel like games. Lifelike faces and expressions restore the cues people rely on. Leaders should revisit virtual collaboration as realism improves.
Remote work could feel closer.
Seeing real expressions builds trust in a way video calls struggle to. That could narrow the gap between remote and in-person teams. HR and IT leaders should pilot realistic avatars for key meetings.
Identity theft gets a new form.
A scanned, lifelike avatar is a valuable digital copy of a person. Misuse could enable impersonation. Security teams should set rules for creating and protecting avatar data.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Would lifelike avatars improve our remote meetings?
- Which teams would benefit most from realistic virtual presence?
- How would we protect staff avatar data from misuse?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
The cartoon avatars that dominate today's Metaverse could soon be yesterday's news and make human interactions more 'real.'
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 10 September 2023. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2023). Zuckerberg’s new life-like avatars laugh off the old critics. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/zuckerbergs-new-life-like-avatars-laugh-off-the-old-critics/
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