Zuckerberg's Metaverse Bet Falters: Meta Cuts Budget 30% in 2026

• Meta plans to slash its metaverse budget by 30% in 2026, signaling a major strategic shift.
• The decision follows steep losses (over $70 billion since 2021) and low user engagement in metaverse platforms.
• Meta's Reality Labs division has consistently posted over $10 billion in annual losses.
• The company is rebalancing its strategy to prioritize generative AI, seen as a more commercially viable growth engine.
• This move suggests Zuckerberg's "biggest bet" on the metaverse is faltering, with internal assessments admitting the roadmap was "overly ambitious."

Why It Matters: Meta's metaverse budget cut shows a tech pivot from VR to AI.