- Facebook’s founder is interested in little but “metaverse,” current and former employees say.
- Zuckerberg last year shifted focus to building what he sees as the future of the internet.
- “There is still no coherent strategy,” one employee said.
Mark Zuckerberg is so wrapped up in building the metaverse that it’s becoming a point of frustration for people who work for him, according to several current and former Facebook employees.
It’s “the only thing Mark wants to talk about,” according to a former director-level employee who recently left.
The company is “messaging the hell out of” the new focus, “spinning up teams that are metaverse specific,” including one that will reach across all groups within the company and be tasked with letting people know “there is a metaverse playbook,” this person told Insider for a story delving into its big strategy pivot and current business struggles.
Some staffers are still confused, though. “It’s basically fomenting disorganization and anxiety,” one current employee said. “People don’t really seem to know what to deliver or what to work on because there is still no coherent strategy.”
A spokesperson said the company is “going through a defining period for the company and we’re going all in.”
“A lot of people are excited, but they have a lot of questions at the same time,” the spokesperson added.
Facebook has renamed itself Meta. Last year, it lost $10 billion on its Reality Labs segment, which handles metaverse projects. It intends to spend that much this year, too, and possibly for many years to come. Zuckerberg has said the metaverse is a long-term project that won’t be fully developed for a decade or more.
So far, there’s little to show for so much money spent, according to another employee who recently left. “There’s still not much to touch or look at, much less use,” the person said, “for all of its metaverse proclamations.”
Are you a current or former Meta employee? Got a tip?
Contact Kali Hays at khays@insider.com or through secure messaging app Signal at 949-280-0267. Reach out using a non-work device. Twitter DM at @hayskali.
Contact Ashley Stewart via encrypted messaging app Signal (+1-425-344-8242) or email (astewart@insider.com). Reach out using a non-work device.
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