In a strategic move to prioritize the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and metaverse technologies, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, announced on Tuesday that it will be phasing out its work-focused app, Workplace. The company will discontinue Workplace for customers starting in June 2026, but will continue to use it as its internal messaging board. Users will still be able to access the product until August 2025.
Meta Platforms aims to focus its efforts on building AI and metaverse technologies that it believes will fundamentally change the way we work. As part of this transition, the company has selected Zoom’s Workvivo as the preferred migration partner for its Workplace customers. Over the next two years, Meta will offer its customers the option to transition to Workvivo.
Workplace, the enterprise communications app, was initially introduced for businesses in 2016. It provided features such as multi-company groups and shared spaces, enabling employees from different organizations to collaborate effectively. However, as Meta Platforms invests heavily in AI and metaverse technologies, it has decided to discontinue Workplace in order to allocate resources to these emerging fields.
The decision to phase out Workplace comes as Meta Platforms places significant focus on developing AI products and exploring the potential of the metaverse. The metaverse, a shared virtual environment, is seen as the next frontier in digital communication and entertainment. With the metaverse, Meta envisions a future where people can interact, work, and play in a fully immersive virtual space.
However, this shift in focus has raised concerns about the potential costs and impact on growth. Developing cutting-edge AI technologies and building the metaverse require substantial investment, and there is uncertainty around the return on these investments. Nevertheless, Meta Platforms remains confident in its strategic direction and believes that AI and the metaverse have the potential to revolutionize various industries.
“We are discontinuing Workplace [to] focus on building AI and metaverse technologies that we believe will fundamentally reshape the way we work,” stated a Meta spokesperson. The company is committed to helping its Workplace customers transition smoothly to Workvivo, ensuring minimal disruption to their daily operations.
Under the current billing and payment arrangements, Workplace customers will not experience any changes until August this year. The pricing structure includes a base plan of $4 per user per month, with the option to upgrade with add-ons starting from $2 per user per month. The monthly bill is typically calculated based on the number of billable users, unless an organization has a fixed plan.
As Meta Platforms enters this new phase of prioritizing AI and metaverse technologies, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of technological innovation. By phasing out Workplace, Meta demonstrates its commitment to exploring and shaping the future of work in an increasingly digital world.
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