On August 27, 2024, Meta Platforms (META) announced a pivotal change in its strategic direction by revealing that it would shut down its augmented reality (AR) studio, Meta Spark, effective January 14, 2025.
This move signifies a dramatic shift in Meta’s priorities, as the company aims to redirect its focus and resources toward advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the metaverse — an ambitious vision of a shared virtual environment that Meta believes will define the future of the internet.
Meta Spark, the platform responsible for enabling third-party developers to create custom AR experiences, including filters, masks, and 3D objects, will cease operations on the announced date.
The immediate consequence of this decision is the removal of all third-party AR effects from Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger.
Although Meta will maintain its in-house AR effects across these platforms, the extensive library of user-generated AR content will be inaccessible after the shutdown.
This transition marks a notable departure from Meta’s previous strategies, as the company moves to consolidate its efforts and investments into AI innovations and the metaverse.
The decision to terminate Meta Spark has sparked significant frustration among the third-party developer community, who have relied on the platform to bring unique AR experiences to life.
The Meta Spark community on Facebook has become a hub for discussions about the future, with many creators expressing their discontent and scrambling to find alternatives.
One community member lamented,
“I wonder how many people will migrate to Snapchat Lens Studio or Unity now that Meta Spark is being sunset?”
This sentiment reflects a broader concern among creators about the lack of immediate alternatives that offer the same breadth of features and accessibility as Meta Spark.
Snapchat’s Lens Studio and Unity are being eyed as potential new homes for these displaced creators.
Snapchat’s Lens Studio offers a free platform for developing custom AR effects, while Unity is renowned for its extensive capabilities in AR and virtual reality (VR) development.
These platforms could become the new go-to environments for creators looking to continue their AR ventures, potentially reshaping the landscape of AR development and distribution.
In alignment with its new strategic focus, Meta has announced plans to invest heavily in AI and the metaverse.
The company aims to pivot resources from Meta Spark to developing next-generation experiences, including advanced AR glasses and other innovative technologies.
This shift reflects Meta’s broader vision of enhancing human-computer interactions and positioning itself at the forefront of the evolving digital landscape.
Meta’s blog post highlights the strategic importance of these new domains, stating,
“With the decision to shut down the Meta Spark platform, we’re also shifting resources to the next generation of experiences, across new form factors like glasses.”
This pivot emphasises Meta's commitment to advancing its AI capabilities and creating immersive metaverse experiences that align with its long-term goals.
Despite the shutdown of Meta Spark, Meta has assured users that existing AR effects in reels and stories will remain accessible.
However, users will no longer be able to access AR effects and files stored in Meta Spark Studio and Meta Spark Hub after the shutdown.
The company has urged AR creators to download and save their project files, assets, and demo videos before the platform’s closure.
“If you are an AR creator and want to continue to showcase the AR effects you built on Meta Spark, we recommend you create a portfolio on an external website,” Meta advised.
Meta has also announced that it will continue to support its Workplace app internally, despite discontinuing it for external customers by June 2026.
This decision aligns with Meta’s strategy to streamline its product portfolio and focus on core areas of expansion.
In a noteworthy development, India has emerged as the largest market for Meta AI, with the technology being utilised for billions of queries since its launch.
Susan Li, Meta’s Chief Financial Officer, highlighted this during the company’s second-quarter earnings call, noting that Meta AI, which debuted in the U.S. the previous year, is now available across multiple platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and the web.
Following updates to the Llama 3 model in April, Meta AI has expanded to over a dozen countries, with India gaining full access post-June elections.
This shift emphasizes the growing significance of the Indian market in Meta’s AI strategy and reflects the company’s commitment to leveraging AI technologies to enhance user experiences globally.
The closure of Meta Spark on January 14, 2025, marks the end of an era for AR creators who have relied on the platform since its inception in 2017.
Over the years, Meta Spark facilitated numerous campaigns, including notable projects by brands such as JobsDB and Diageo.
For instance, JobsDB’s AR filters for the “Office’s heart talks” campaign generated over 180,000 impressions and 21,000 opens within a month, primarily engaging Gen Z users.
JobsDB's campaign featured four "Office's Heart Talks" AR filters designed to reflect the target group's work-related mindset and emotions.
Similarly, Singapore Post’s “Finding Postie” campaign utilised Meta Spark’s technology to drive community engagement during its 165th anniversary celebrations.
As Meta moves forward with its AI and metaverse initiatives, the AR community faces a period of transition, seeking new platforms and adapting to the evolving digital environment.
The impact of Meta Spark’s shutdown will undoubtedly be felt across the AR development landscape, as creators navigate the shifting terrain and explore new opportunities in the AR and VR spaces.
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