Meta Shuttering Augmented Reality Studio Amid Pivot to AI
- Meta Spark was originally intended to compete with Snapchat
- Company will shift resources to products such as smart glasses
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Meta Platforms Inc. will close an augmented reality studio to prioritize investments in other areas, including a burgeoning artificial intelligence business.
The studio, called Meta Spark, allows developers to make digital filters that are overlaid onto videos in the company’s Facebook, Instagram and Messenger apps. It was first launched to compete with photo-sharing app Snapchat, which became popular for its image filters. The studio will shut down on Jan. 14, 2025, the company said Tuesday in a statement, though Meta will still offer AR effects that it created in-house.