From: cleoabram
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg envisions a future where technology, particularly augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI), deeply enhances human connection and social interactions. His goal is to illustrate the future Meta is building, which could be inhabited by billions of people [00:01:00].
Envisioning a Future with Enhanced Presence
Zuckerberg believes that the next major computing platform after phones will be AR glasses [00:04:38]. These “full holographic augmented reality glasses” are the culmination of 10 years of research, miniaturizing computing to place full holograms into the real world with a wide field of view [00:02:20].
The primary value Meta aims to deliver through AR and mixed reality is a feeling of “presence” [00:11:34]. This refers to the deep sense of being physically present with another person, which is not achieved by current technologies like video calls [00:11:39]. This sense of presence is considered the “Holy Grail” for those designing social apps and experiences [00:12:02].
With these technologies, future interactions could involve:
- Holographic conversations where one person is physically present and the other is a full-body hologram, allowing for interaction beyond just video calls, such as playing games or working together [00:03:06].
- Feeling like family members are “really there” during virtual interactions, such as playing Scrabble with a parent [00:13:51].
While eye contact is expected to be achieved, physical touch (haptics) is acknowledged as a significant challenge [00:14:01]. Although advancements are being made in hands-on haptics (e.g., feeling a ping pong ball hit a digital paddle) [00:15:10], extreme force feedback needed for activities like Jiu-Jitsu remains difficult [00:15:54]. Other senses like smell, while important for memories, are not expected to be integrated into these devices in the near future [00:16:38].
The “sense of presence” is delicate; it’s an illusion that can be broken by anything done wrong, such as a field of view that is too low or unrealistic physics [00:17:20]. However, people can accept a mix of photorealistic and cartoony avatars or worlds, as long as the avatars’ movements feel authentic to the person [00:18:36].
Addressing Trends in Social Connection
A concerning trend highlights a decline in traditional social connections. The average American has fewer friends now than 15 years ago [00:20:25]. Over the last 20 years, the amount of time American adults spend socializing in person has dropped by nearly 30%, and for ages 15 to 24, it’s nearly 70% [00:20:43]. Furthermore, the share of Americans who report not having a single close friend has jumped from 3% to 12% in the last 30 years [00:21:15].
Zuckerberg argues that digital connection is not replacing a “better physical connection” that people would otherwise have had [00:22:25]. Instead, he believes there’s more demand to socialize than current constructs allow [00:22:45]. Giving people the ability to be present with others who are physically distant will likely unlock more connections, rather than decrease in-person interactions [00:22:52]. He attributes the decline in social capital to socioeconomic and political dynamics that predate modern technology [00:23:19]. The goal is to structure future technologies to foster more human connection in more ways [00:24:08].
Role of AI in Shaping Social Interactions and Media
AI is the second major pillar in Meta’s vision, focusing on personalized intelligence [00:12:13]. For AI to be personalized, it needs context from a user’s life and physical surroundings, making glasses an ideal form factor as they can “see what you see and hear what you hear” [00:12:38].
AI and Communication
AI can remove communication barriers, such as with automatic real-time translation, similar to a “Star Trek Universal translator” [00:24:42]. While this might reduce the functional need to learn languages, it’s akin to how calculators didn’t eliminate the need for basic math skills; it instead shifts the focus to other forms of engagement, like understanding cultures [00:25:04].
Zuckerberg also suggests AI could help people articulate emotions, acting as a tool to improve communication without removing the inherent human “struggle” that builds character [00:25:48]. He believes people will always find new things to struggle with, and AI will simply enable higher-level creativity, for example, allowing children to describe complex software they want to build without needing to code it themselves [00:27:34]. He maintains that some basic skills, like programming, should still be taught, as they foster rigorous thinking [00:29:49].
AI’s Impact on Social Media
Generative AI is expected to accelerate the ongoing shift in social media, where interaction has moved from primarily friends to a mix of friends and creators [00:32:10]. AI will provide tools for:
- Friends: Enabling easier creation of engaging content from captured moments [00:32:42].
- Creators: Allowing creators to use advanced AI tools for more compelling content [00:33:15].
- Purely Generated Content: The system might generate personalized summaries or funny content [00:33:27].
- AI Creators and AI Artifacts: AI versions of creators could interact with communities, providing a new “interactive sculpture” for engagement when the creator is unavailable [00:33:52].
Zuckerberg believes AI will change almost every field and feature of every application, much like the internet, leading to “an amazing amount of innovation” over the next 5 to 10 years [00:35:04].
Concerns and Optimism Amidst Change
While acknowledging concerns about the pace of change and uncertainty, especially for creators in a competitive space [00:36:21], Zuckerberg maintains an optimistic outlook. He suggests that those who thrive will be curious individuals who embrace new tools to improve their lives rather than resisting them [00:39:06]. The current era of technological advancement is not a sudden shift from “zero to one,” but a continuation of constant evolution, as seen with the internet and smartphones [00:38:44].
Open Source and Safety
Meta advocates for an “open source” approach to AI development, where models are openly available for modification and building upon [00:40:07]. This contrasts with a centralized model where only a few companies control AI systems [00:39:52]. Zuckerberg argues that historically, open-source software is safer and more secure because broader scrutiny helps identify and fix issues quicker [00:42:05]. This approach, he believes, will lead to a more prosperous and safer future for AI [00:43:33].
The Future of AI Scaling
A major ongoing question for Zuckerberg is how far current AI architectures, particularly transformer-based models, can scale [00:44:17]. Unlike previous AI systems that hit plateaus, these new architectures have not yet found their limits [00:44:44]. Meta is making significant investments in infrastructure, betting that AI will continue to advance for a considerable time, leading to new compelling products and a dynamic technological landscape over the next two decades [00:45:42].