At its Meta Connect event today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced two new AI-powered features: generative AI stickers and AI editing tools.
Generative AI stickers
Generative AI stickers are a new way to express yourself in Meta’s messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook Stories. With generative AI stickers, you can create unique stickers by simply typing in a text prompt. For example, you could type “Hungarian sheep dog driving a 4×4” and Emu, Meta’s new foundational model for image generation, would generate a sticker that matches your prompt.
Generative AI stickers are currently in beta testing and will be available to English-language users over the next month.
AI editing tools
AI editing tools are a new way to edit your photos and videos using AI. With AI editing tools, you can change the style of your photos and videos, remove objects from the background, and even create new images and videos from scratch.
Meta demonstrated two new AI editing tools at Meta Connect: Restyle and Backdrop.
Restyle lets you reimagine the visual styles of an image by typing in prompts like “watercolor” or “collage from magazines and newspapers, torn edges.” Backdrop lets you change the scene or background of your image by using prompts.
AI editing tools will be available soon on Instagram.
Meta’s commitment to responsible AI
Meta has pledged to develop AI responsibly and ethically. The company says that it will indicate the use of AI in its images “to reduce the chances of people mistaking them for human-generated content.” Meta is also experimenting with forms of visible and invisible markers to help people identify AI-generated content.
Meta’s generative AI stickers and AI editing tools are exciting new features that have the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate and express ourselves. With these tools, we can now create unique and personalized content that is tailored to our specific needs and interests.
Meta has confirmed another round of layoffs, this time targeting its Reality Labs division, though the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed. This move comes as part of the company’s ongoing “Year of Efficiency” initiative that began in 2023, which has already seen Meta reduce its workforce by about 22% across multiple waves of cuts.
Areas Most Affected by the Cuts
The restructuring has particularly impacted:
Oculus Studios teams developing games for Quest VR headsets
Hardware development groups working on future VR/AR devices
Supernatural, Meta’s flagship VR fitness platform acquired for $400 million in 2021
A message posted to the official Supernatural Facebook group suggests these changes aim to “help us work more efficiently on what the future of fitness could be,” indicating possible strategic redirection rather than complete abandonment of the fitness vertical.
Behind Meta’s Reality Labs Restructuring
Mixed Signals in Meta’s VR Strategy
Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton explained the changes reflect structural shifts meant to improve efficiency in developing “future mixed reality experiences.” This carefully worded statement suggests:
A continued commitment to VR/AR development
Potential reallocation of resources toward more promising projects
Possible deprioritization of certain existing VR content
The Broader Context of Meta’s VR Challenges
These layoffs occur against a backdrop of:
Disappointing Quest headset sales, with the Quest 3S already seeing price cuts
Strong performance of Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, exceeding expectations
Ongoing financial losses in Reality Labs, which reported $3.8 billion in operating losses in Q1 2024 alone
Analyzing the Implications
What This Means for the VR Industry
Content Development Slowdown: Fewer resources for Oculus Studios may mean fewer first-party VR titles
Strategic Reprioritization: Meta appears to be shifting focus from pure VR toward mixed reality
Hardware Uncertainty: Layoffs in hardware teams raise questions about future device roadmaps
The Supernatural Paradox
The treatment of Supernatural is particularly noteworthy:
Legal Victory: Meta successfully defended its acquisition against antitrust challenges
High Investment: The $400 million purchase was one of Meta’s largest VR content acquisitions
Current Downsizing: Despite this, the team is now facing cuts
Expert Perspectives on Meta’s Moves
Industry analysts suggest several interpretations:
Cost-Cutting Measure: Part of Zuckerberg’s efficiency drive amid massive Reality Labs losses
Strategic Pivot: Possibly reallocating resources toward AI integration in VR/AR
Market Realignment: Responding to slower-than-expected VR adoption rates
The Road Ahead for Meta’s Metaverse Vision
While these cuts might suggest wavering commitment, Meta maintains it’s still investing heavily in mixed reality. Key questions remain:
Will these efficiency moves accelerate profitability in Reality Labs?
How will content quality be affected by reduced development teams?
Does this signal a broader shift in Meta’s metaverse strategy?
One thing is clear: Meta continues to balance its ambitious long-term VR/AR goals with the financial realities of running a public company. These layoffs represent another adjustment in that delicate balancing act rather than a wholesale retreat from the metaverse vision.
Late one evening, my phone buzzes — it’s a notification from Instagram: “Clark’s Closet Connection’s countdown has ended.” Excited, I tap into the page, knowing that a fresh batch of coveted secondhand treasures is about to go live.
Within seconds, new posts start flooding the feed. Size 10 Mario-themed sneakers, adorable Moana-print Hanna Andersson pajamas, a vibrant 3T Boden skort — each item is claimed almost instantly. Shoppers, mainly busy moms, comment “me!” to reserve their finds, racing against one another in a first-come, first-served frenzy. Tonight, 36 items are posted; 24 are snatched up before the final listing even goes live.
The woman behind the operation is Ashley Hauri, a Kansas City-based entrepreneur who has turned reselling into a thriving, community-centered business. Once an active seller on platforms like Poshmark, Hauri is part of a growing wave of thrift store flippers shifting their efforts to more personal spaces like Instagram — even though the platform isn’t exactly optimized for online commerce.
“Instagram is one zillion percent not set up for selling,” Hauri admits. “But it’s about the community. I get to watch customers’ kids grow up. I’m connected to them beyond just a sale.”
Why Instagram? Building Relationships Over Transactions
While platforms like eBay, Depop, and Poshmark offer structured selling tools, Instagram allows resellers to build something deeper: genuine relationships. Buyers become more than just transactions — they become part of a tight-knit community. Sellers like Hauri can share life updates, celebrate milestones with their customers, and engage in real conversations.
This shift toward social-first selling reflects a broader trend where authentic connection is becoming just as valuable as the product itself.
The Rise of Resale Culture: More Than Just Saving Money
Although online reselling isn’t new — fashion entrepreneur Sophia Amoruso famously launched her brand Nasty Gal through eBay back in 2006 — the concept of “thrifting” has exploded in popularity over the past decade.
Today, buying secondhand is no longer viewed as a niche hobby; it’s a mainstream movement driven by millennials and Gen Z consumers who prioritize:
Sustainability: Secondhand shopping reduces the environmental impact of fast fashion.
Uniqueness: Vintage and one-of-a-kind finds offer a way to stand out from mass-produced styles.
Affordability: High-quality pieces at a fraction of retail prices are hard to resist.
The numbers speak for themselves: the resale industry is projected to grow nine times faster than the broader retail sector by 2027, according to market research.
Mobile-First Shopping: A Shift in Consumer Behavior
One of the most significant drivers behind this growth is convenience. Thanks to smartphones, millions of shoppers are browsing, buying, and even bidding on secondhand items through apps they already use daily. They no longer need to step inside a brick-and-mortar thrift store to score deals or support sustainable fashion.
Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook Marketplace are becoming virtual thrift stores themselves — offering curated drops, direct communication with sellers, and a personalized shopping experience that traditional e-commerce struggles to match.
The Future of Reselling: Community Is Key
As the resale economy continues to expand, it’s clear that the next wave of successful sellers won’t just be those with the trendiest inventory. The winners will be those who can build trust, foster community, and create a human-first shopping experience — even in a digital world.
Ashley Hauri’s success story isn’t just about flipping thrift finds for profit. It’s a testament to the power of authentic connection in a marketplace increasingly driven by technology.
In an era where personalization, sustainability, and community matter more than ever, platforms like Instagram — despite their limitations — are proving to be fertile ground for the future of secondhand shopping.
