Mark Zuckerberg is experiencing a significant image overhaul, moving away from his controversial past as the face of social media scandals. While issues persist within Meta, Zuckerberg now appears more favorable, especially when compared to rivals like Elon Musk. His company’s share price has surged 70% in 2023, bolstered by a focus on efficiency. With a newfound physical transformation and advancements in AI and wearable technology like Meta’s data glasses, Zuckerberg’s reputation is evolving, prompting questions about the future of Meta and its innovations.
Mark Zuckerberg is experiencing a notable shift in his public persona, which one might refer to as a “meta-morphosis.” While it might be a stretch to label the overseer of major social media platforms—like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—as “beloved,” there is a significant absence of controversies surrounding him lately, especially considering his tumultuous past.
In today’s dynamic social media landscape, the once alarming image of Zuckerberg as the relentless entrepreneur—focused on disruption at any cost—is now diminishing. His company previously garnered negative attention for issues such as Instagram’s impact on the mental health of young users, Facebook’s role in electoral manipulations, and Meta’s questionable practices regarding user data.
However, while these concerns haven’t completely vanished, it’s essential to evaluate Zuckerberg’s image against that of his competitors, many of whom are more notorious.
Compared to Elon Musk, Zuckerberg Appears Reasonable
Take Elon Musk, for example. His increasingly radical approaches with X, formerly Twitter, blur the lines of decency, hosting far-fetched conspiracy theories alongside explicit content. Then there’s Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, who is notorious for running a platform akin to a miniature darknet, where everything from drug deals to extremist recruitment takes place.
Additionally, TikTok continues to capture attention with its addictive algorithms, raising suspicions about its ties to the Chinese government as a potential espionage tool. Within this eclectic mix of controversial figures, Zuckerberg, now aged 40, comes off as surprisingly mild.
Surge in Share Prices
After a period of waning investor enthusiasm, Zuckerberg has regained favor with shareholders, despite his ongoing investments in the Metaverse, an endeavor often criticized as a financial pit. Thanks to cost-cutting measures dubbed a “year of efficiency” in 2023, Meta is once again turning a profit.
The company’s stock has soared by 70 percent this year alone, raising its market value to $1.45 trillion. As a result, Zuckerberg reclaimed his spot as the world’s second-richest individual, trailing only Elon Musk.
The skirmish proposed by Musk—a cage fight—seems increasingly unlikely, especially as Musk finds new justifications to evade it. Notably, Zuckerberg’s dedication to jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts may have given Musk second thoughts.
A New Physique and Image
Transforming from a typical tech-savvy nerd, Zuckerberg now sports a muscular physique, curly hair, casual attire, and even gold chains. On his latest birthday, he donned a T-shirt emblazoned with “Carthago delenda est,” a quote meaning “Carthage must be destroyed,” leaving many to wonder about its implications for Facebook and Instagram users in Tunisia.
When sporting the new smart glasses developed by Meta in collaboration with Ray-Ban, Zuckerberg’s look takes on a more trendy vibe. This renewed investor confidence in Meta also stems from the company’s innovative eyewear.
Zuckerberg has long advocated that virtual and augmented reality headsets will form the basis of future computing. In a market still dominated by smartphones, Meta is keen on reducing its reliance on major players like Apple and Google.
Are Smart Glasses Making a Comeback?
Today, the potential for smart glasses appears less distant than in previous years, due to three compelling factors:
- Apple has ventured into this market with its Vision Pro, which, despite its premium positioning, has encountered only modest success. While it is a high-end gadget, hefty pricing doesn’t necessarily correlate with remarkable performance compared to Meta’s more affordable offerings.
- Meta is shifting focus towards lightweight smart glasses that project digital content directly onto the lenses, providing a more wearable option compared to the cumbersome headsets, which have primarily appealed to gamers.
- Generative artificial intelligence makes controlling such smart glasses via voice commands more user-friendly than ever.
Meta’s Role in Artificial Intelligence
Meta is also making significant strides in artificial intelligence. Zuckerberg’s rollout of the Llama language model showcased to investors that heavy investments in advanced technology could yield substantial rewards. This development raises questions about whether the Metaverse could regain momentum in the coming years—perhaps leading to nostalgia for those who once doubted its potential.
Unlike other AI firms, Llama is an open-source model, allowing users to access, modify, and share the code freely. This transparency distinguishes Meta in a field otherwise dominated by proprietary technologies, challenging the openness implied by competitors like OpenAI.
Zuckerberg’s forward-thinking approach with initiatives like Llama enhances his evolving public