%20the%20world)
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms (META), has consistently prioritized technologies that deepen human connection since co-founding Facebook in 2004. His leadership transformed the company from a college social network into a global technology conglomerate, spanning social media, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI). Under his direction, Meta acquired Instagram and WhatsApp, shifted focus to mobile during the 2010s, and now invests heavily in augmented reality (AR) and the metaverse. Zuckerberg’s authority on future computing platforms stems from this track record of anticipating technological shifts and scaling innovations to billions of users.
His recent remarks at Stripe Sessions 2025 crystallize Meta’s decade-long investment in AR, with the CEO saying, "Our AR stuff, the glasses, the things that I am wearing now, it's going really well. We're selling many millions of units and just going to keep on expanding into more styles, more functionality. We'll add the holograms in, so I feel good about that.” He continued, “The glasses, especially the ultimate social platform, because holograms will deliver this feeling of presence, like you're there with another person, and that's something that no screen today can deliver.”
Zuckerberg continued on the subject, giving listeners a glimpse into the future when he added, “In the future, maybe I'll just beam in as a hologram to this, and that'll be pretty cool. So, between that and glasses being the ultimate device for AI… I think this is one that is worth investing in for 10 years ahead."
This vision aligns with Zuckerberg’s career-long focus on immersive connection. Early Facebook innovations like the News Feed and Messenger prioritized real-time interaction, while Meta’s 2020 pivot toward the metaverse reflected his belief that 2D screens limit authentic engagement. The holographic concept extends this philosophy, aiming to replicate in-person presence through spatial computing. For Zuckerberg, this is not speculative; Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses have sold over 1 million units, with sales tripling year-over-year in 2024, demonstrating consumer readiness for wearable AR. The planned integration of holograms leverages Meta’s advances in AI and neural interfaces, which interpret real-world context to enable natural interactions.
Zuckerberg’s confidence in this "10-year" investment derives from Meta’s unique assets. The company’s social ecosystem — used by 3.98 billion people monthly — provides unmatched data for training AI assistants, while its Reality Labs division has pioneered VR hardware since acquiring Oculus in 2014. Financially, Meta can sustain long-term bets; despite Reality Labs’ $60 billion in cumulative losses since 2020, core advertising revenue funds innovation.
The holographic vision also addresses a timeless market dynamic: the quest for more intuitive interfaces. As computing evolves from desktops to mobile to ambient devices, Zuckerberg positions glasses as the next paradigm — blending AI ubiquity with emotional resonance. Competitors like Apple (AAPL) focus on productivity-driven AR, but Zuckerberg’s emphasis on social "presence" targets a fundamental human need, potentially unlocking new forms of collaboration, education, and entertainment. His leadership ensures Meta will shape this future, whether through hardware, AI, or the open-source Llama ecosystem.
