Facebook is set to create 10,000 jobs across the European Union in its quest to facilitate the creation of an AR and AI-powered “metaverse” for collaborative working.
The five-year plan will see an average of 2,000 roles created across the 27-country bloc annually. While the company has described these jobs as “high-skilled”, it’s given little detail as to what kinds of employment will actually be on offer. IT Pro has contacted Facebook for more information.
In an announcement from VP of global affairs and former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, and VP of central products, Javier Olivan, the company called the move “a vote of confidence in the strength of the European tech industry and the potential of European tech talent”.
“Europe is hugely important to Facebook. From the thousands of employees in the EU to the millions of businesses using our apps and tools every day, Europe is a big part of our success, as Facebook is invested in the success of European companies and the wider economy,” the two said.
They also listed “a number of competitive advantages” the EU has over other territories, including a large consumer market and universities that are internationally recognised for their excellence.
The announcement also stated the EU has “an important role to play in shaping the new rules of the internet”, saying: “European policymakers are leading the way in helping to embed European values like free expression, privacy, transparency and the rights of individuals into the day-to-day workings of the internet” – values the company says it shares and has taken “considerable action” to uphold over the years.
As to the location of these 10,000 jobs, the announcement didn’t list any particular towns or cities where these roles will be based and the company hadn’t responded to a request for further information on this at the time of publication. Clegg and Olivan did, however, point to the company’s centres for AI and VR in Paris and Cork respectively, as well as grants it has issued to the Technical University of Munich.
