Meta jumpstarted the current wave of public interest in the metaverse. So what’s its vision for how that will materialize in the coming years and what is it up to today? We hear directly from the company about its directions

Key Takeaways

Here are a few key messages or insights that we gleaned from this session.

• Though definitions are still early and open, the metaverse denotes online virtual 3D worlds (e.g., Meta Horizons) as well as immersive digital experiences anchored to the physical world.
• Meta is working on both, including its mega metaverse activation for Wendy’s, known as the Wendyverse. This involved marketing Wendy’s in Horizon Worlds through interactive brand experiences, and being able to order food from physical world locations.
• The takeaway for local businesses and multi-location brands: Even if you’re not ready for a full-fledged dive into the metaverse, be “metaverse ready” for when it reaches a tipping point. That means having 3D digital assets in place for your products and educating yourself on the successes and mistakes of the early-adopter brands that have stormed the beach first.

Keynote: Metaverse in Action Today

Over the next decade, the metaverse will enable the next generation of online social experiences … more engaging and immersive than we ever thought imaginable. To bring this in focus, we will explore how businesses are innovating and experimenting using today’s products and tools, which will be foundational as we look to the years ahead.

Matthew Christensen, Meta