Frequently the target of criticism due to his metaverse technology presentations, Mark Zuckerberg seems to have astonished denizens of the internet with his latest innovation in avatar technology.
While naysayers have been engrossed in penning obituaries for Meta’s metaverse ambitions over the past few years, Mark Zuckerberg’s recent showcase of photorealistic avatars hints at a future far removed from obsolescence.
On a fateful September 28th episode of the Lex Fridman podcast, Zuckerberg and the esteemed computer scientist engaged in an hour-long, face-to-face conversation. Except, it wasn’t face-to-face in the traditional sense.
Instead, the entirety of Fridman and Zuckerberg’s tête-à-tête unfolded through photorealistic avatars within the metaverse, seamlessly facilitated by Meta’s Quest 3 headsets and state-of-the-art noise-canceling headphones.
Critics often derive amusement from Meta’s substantial investment in metaverse research, seemingly yielding cartoonish avatars and, at times, ungainly virtual legs.
However, in this instance, denizens of social media, including those within the Crypto Twitter sphere, appeared genuinely captivated by the sheer sophistication of the technology.
“Alright, the metaverse is unequivocally a reality now,” exclaimed the pseudonymous account Gaut—a rare moment of unfeigned commendation from a user typically known for their satirical and sardonic commentaries on contemporary affairs.
“Nine minutes into the Lex/Mark metaverse podcast, I completely forgot I was observing avatars,” declared coder Jelle Prins.
Fridman, too, shared his real-time impressions of the experience, noting the striking closeness he felt to Zuckerberg during their virtual encounter. Moments later, he grappled with the realization that Zuckerberg’s avatar bore no resemblance to his physical self.
“I’m already losing sight of your virtual nature.”
The showcased technology represents the latest iteration of Codec Avatars. Initially unveiled in 2019, Codec Avatars stands as one of Meta’s longest-running research endeavors, aspiring to forge fully photorealistic, real-time avatars, powered by headsets endowed with facial tracking sensors.
Nonetheless, prospective users may find themselves awaiting a few years before they can adopt their own lifelike avatars. Zuckerberg elucidated that the technology involved necessitates expensive machine-learning software and comprehensive head scans utilizing specialized equipment equipped with over a hundred distinct cameras.
This accessibility might remain at least three years distant from the grasp of everyday consumers, he suggested.
Nevertheless, Zuckerberg underscored the company’s commitment to dismantling barriers, hinting that, in the future, such scans might become feasible via a run-of-the-mill smartphone.
This latest demonstration emerges hot on the heels of Meta’s revelation of its response to ChatGPT—Meta AI, their cutting-edge AI assistant. This groundbreaking creation is seamlessly integrated across an array of unique chatbots, applications, and even smart eyewear.
