The latest example is the metaverse. A few years ago, Meta pitched the metaverse as the future of work, shopping, entertainment, and social life. The company spent tens of billions of dollars building virtual worlds where people would meet as digital avatars. But adoption stalled, interest dropped, and Meta recently shut down or scaled back major parts of its metaverse projects, shifting its focus to artificial intelligence instead.
The common lesson is simple. Great technology doesn’t just sound futuristic. It has to solve a real problem, be easy to use, and arrive when people are ready. Otherwise, you’re just left explaining why you bought virtual land, digital art you can’t hang on a wall, or a television that needs glasses.
The latest example in technology is the metaverse. A few years ago, Meta presented the metaverse as the future of work, shopping, entertainment, and social life. The company spent tens of billions of dollars building virtual worlds where people would meet as digital avatars. But adoption stalled and interest waned, prompting Meta to shut down or scale back major metaverse initiatives and redirect its focus toward artificial intelligence.
The pivot underscores a common industry truth: great technology alone does not guarantee value; it must address real needs and be easy to use when users are ready. Ultimately, the lesson is clear: even ambitious platforms must prove practical benefits before investing public resources in ecosystems like virtual land or wall-hanging digital art. Without practical utility, even high-profile bets are hard to justify.
Leave a Reply