Meta’s CTO Predicts 2025 as a Turning Point for Augmented and Virtual Reality

I remember the first time I heard Andrew “Boz” Bosworth talk about the whole metaverse thing—a mix of excitement and… was that skepticism in his voice? Strange, right? Anyway, this bigwig at Meta, one of the real OGs there, dropped a memo predicting 2025 would be the make-or-break year for their Reality Labs. Could be a smashing success or a total flop. He didn’t mince words.

Seems like Boz is choosing the optimistic route these days. Maybe he has a gut feeling, but ultimately, it’s the market that’s calling the shots.

During a chat on Bloomberg Technology (yep, I watch those), Boz shared, “This feels like the pivotal year.” Dramatic pause, right? But there’s truth in it. Meta’s Ray-Ban AI glasses have been causing a stir. Shockingly, over 2 million flew off the shelves since last October. Outselling regular Ray-Bans? I mean, who saw that coming? Not even with the AI magic sprinkled in yet.

Other giants like Google and Apple are elbowing their way in too. Google’s teamed up with folks like Gentle Monster—because, why not?—to launch snazzy smart glasses. And Apple? Well, rumor has it they’re eyeing 2026 for their debut. Sounds like quite the tech showdown.

Boz said something like, “We’ve moved from being the nerdy kids tinkering away in the basement to strutting on the main stage with a product that’s turning heads.” Okay, not those exact words, but you get the point. It’s crunch time now—with competitors breathing down their necks, every bit of progress counts more than ever.

But hey, all this fancy competition means zilch if people don’t actually buy into AR and VR. Without that buy-in, the dream stays a dream.

Boz had this interesting perspective (learned from Sheryl Sandberg, no less), hinting that companies crash not because the competition was better, but because they stumbled over their own feet. Doesn’t it make you think? So, his mantra now is about sticking to their own game plan. Makes sense, right? Focus inward, not just outward.

And this year, they’re all buckled up for some ambitious ventures. Boz has this hopeful glint—by year’s end, they’ll know if they pulled off their grand plan. Come five years? That’ll tell if their shot in the dark really hit the mark or just faded away.