Google’s Former CEO Warns Meta’s Metaverse May Not Benefit Society
Image ID 233344789 © via Scaliger | Dreamstime.com
Facebook has rebranded as Meta, shifting its focus to creating the next frontier of social media. While the idea of an artificial universe in which one can express themselves might sound wonderful, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns that the metaverse could be harmful to society as a whole.
Speaking to the New York Times, Schmidt said he felt Mark Zuckerberg’s favored form of technology could soon “be everywhere,” though he cautioned it could become a “giant, false god” creating unhealthy relationships between groups and individuals online.
“All of the people who talk about metaverses are talking about worlds that are more satisfying than the current world—you’re richer, more handsome, more beautiful, more powerful, faster,” he explained.
“So, in some years, people will choose to spend more time with their goggles on in the metaverse. And who gets to set the rules? The world will become more digital than physical. And that’s not necessarily the best thing for human society.”
Schmidt brought up interesting questions, such as how a child would interact with an AI-enabled ‘best friend’. Or what would a war fought with AI entail? Will technology eventually progress too far for our own comprehension?
Additionally, it’s not hard to see why the general public would be distrustful of Facebook’s metaverse, considering the numerous scandals the company has been embroiled in.
From whistleblowers testifying before Congress to internal reports determining Facebook’s platforms are toxic for teens, it’s difficult to be convinced that a new AI-generated platform would be completely free of these issues.
However, it will only be time before Meta merges all of its sites into one giant metaverse, and by then, users may all be too invested to get out.
[via Insider, cover image via Scaliger | Dreamstime.com]
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