Meta to Introduce Generative AI to Elevate Metaverse Gaming Experience

Meta is set to enhance its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality games by integrating generative AI technology, a strategic move aimed at revitalizing its metaverse initiative. A recent job listing from Meta reveals plans to research and prototype innovative consumer experiences through AI-driven gameplay. These games promise to offer unique, ever-changing adventures with non-deterministic paths, enhancing replayability.

The company also intends to develop or collaborate with third-party creators and vendors to create AI-powered tools designed to streamline game development workflows and reduce time-to-market.

The primary focus will be on Horizon, Meta’s suite of metaverse games, applications, and creation tools. However, there are plans to extend these AI-enhanced experiences to other platforms, including smartphones and PCs.

"This emerging field has the potential to unlock unprecedented experiences that are currently unimaginable," the job listing states. "Such innovation could significantly impact the ecosystem by boosting efficiency and enabling the creation of substantially more content."

Meta has not commented on these new developments.

This initiative comes as Meta's Reality Labs division, responsible for the company’s metaverse projects including the Meta Quest headset, continues to search for a blockbuster product. Despite selling millions of Quest units, Meta has struggled to draw users to its Horizon platform and has faced significant financial losses.

In response, Meta has shifted its strategy, allowing third-party headset manufacturers to license certain software features of the Quest, such as hand and body tracking. Concurrently, investments in metaverse gaming projects have increased, reportedly driven by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's growing interest in developing games for the Quest headsets.

Meta has previously shown interest in generative AI for the metaverse. In 2022, Zuckerberg introduced Builder Bot, a prototype allowing users to construct virtual environments through descriptive prompts like “Let’s go to the beach.” In a blog post last year, Meta CTO and Reality Labs head Andrew Bosworth highlighted how generative AI tools could democratize metaverse content creation.

"Just as Instagram empowered anyone to become a creator, these generative AI tools will not only amplify the abilities of individual creators but also act as a force multiplier for developers, providing small teams with the capabilities of larger studios and accelerating innovation," Bosworth wrote.

Generative AI is already making its mark in game development, with companies like Disney-backed Inworld and Artificial Agency using the technology to craft more dynamic dialogues and narratives. Additionally, various platforms now offer AI tools to generate game art assets and character voices, although some game creators have expressed concerns about job security.

Earlier this year, Meta announced plans to invest billions in generative AI and established a new top-level team focused on products like AI characters and ads. In April, Zuckerberg indicated that it might take years for the company to profit from these investments, suggesting that these efforts are part of a long-term strategy to turn around Reality Labs’ fortunes.