Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, is set to unveil its new Quest 3 headset at the Connect 2023 event. Alongside this reveal, Meta has announced a major educational partnership with 15 universities in the US. The partnership aims to build an ecosystem of data and feedback on the use of immersive technologies in education. The initiative is expected to be a key part of Meta’s extended reality (XR) strategy for 2023 and beyond.
The potential implications of Meta’s technologies in educational institutions were discussed by industry experts in a recent interview. They highlighted the importance of use cases and client success stories in driving adoption of XR technologies. They also raised concerns about data security and the potential impact on teachers. Meta’s integration of AI instructors into educational programmes was seen as an interesting development, but questions were raised about the long-term role of human teachers in the face of AI advancements.
The experts also called for more clarity on the details of Meta’s educational partnership. They questioned the scale of implementation and the potential impact on security, data privacy, and GDPR compliance. However, they acknowledged that these challenges are not unique to Meta and are faced by all companies in the XR space. They emphasized the need for empirical data to determine what works and what doesn’t in immersive learning.
Meta’s v57 update, where it removed guardian protections to give users more freedom of movement, was also discussed. The experts noted that while this opens up new use cases, it raises questions about the balance of responsibility between the company and the consumer when it comes to safety.
Overall, the experts expressed both excitement and caution about Meta’s educational initiative. They emphasized the need for further information and transparency from Meta to address concerns and ensure the success of XR technologies in educational settings. The upcoming Connect 2023 event is expected to shed more light on Meta’s plans and offerings.
