Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the best metaverse stocks to buy, according to analysts. On March 12, Reuters reported that Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has delayed the launch of its new artificial intelligence model called “Avocado.” The release, which was expected this month, will now happen in May or June, according to the New York Times.
Meta’s model is still behind Google’s latest AI systems, Gemini 2.5 and Gemini 3, which has caused the delay. Even though Meta is spending heavily on AI, including plans to build its own chips, the company’s new model has not yet reached the performance level of its rivals.
In January, Meta announced it would spend between $115 billion and $135 billion this year to push toward “superintelligence,” a stage where AI could be smarter than humans. The company has been working on Avocado for months, but reports say it has not matched Google’s newest offerings.
A Meta spokesperson said the next model will be strong and will show the company’s fast progress. CEO Mark Zuckerberg also said during an earnings call that Meta will keep releasing new models throughout the year.
There have even been talks inside Meta about temporarily using Google’s Gemini to power its AI products, though no decision has been made.
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A day earlier, on March 11, Meta Platforms Inc. unveiled four custom in-house chips as it continues to pursue opportunities in the data center space. The four new generations of MTIA chips are specifically tailored for artificial intelligence workloads, as they operate at a much faster pace than typical chip cycles. MTIA 300 is one of the chips intended to help train smaller AI models that underpin the company’s core ranking and recommendation tasks. Upcoming MTIA 400, MTIA 450, and MTIA 500 are intended for cutting-edge generative AI-related inference tasks like creating images and videos.
In January, the company announced plans to cut 10% of its workforce at Reality Labs, a unit that works on its metaverse and virtual reality products. Reality Labs is one of the units where Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is betting big on virtual and augmented reality as well as the metaverse. It is this unit that focuses on the development of virtual social platforms and VR headsets like the Quest line.
Zuckerberg has spent close to $60 billon since 2020 in an attempt to turn around Meta Platform’s digital world into a profitable business. Part of the effort has resulted in the development of Ray-Ban smart glasses in an attempt to pursue opportunities in immersive digital environments.
