Meta is planning to shut down its collaboration suite, Workplace, by 2026 as it pivots its focus towards AI and the metaverse. Axios was the first to report this development. In an email to CIO Dive, Meta announced that over the next two years, Workplace customers will be given the option to transition to Zoom’s Workvivo, which Meta has designated as its preferred migration partner.
Workplace will remain fully functional until August 31, 2025. After this date, users will only be able to view or download their data until the platform permanently shuts down on May 31, 2026.
The collaboration software market has seen significant upheaval recently, with a surge in adoption during 2020 as remote work became widespread. However, as companies gradually return to the office, growth has slowed for many providers. Meta’s Workplace, which launched in 2016 as a spin-off of an internal tool called Facebook at Work, managed to attract 7 million users by 2021, including major enterprise clients like Walmart and Deliveroo.
As Workplace phases out, Meta plans to redirect its focus to other enterprise tools within its portfolio, including Quest for Business, Remote Desktop, Events, and Meetings. Additionally, Meta is advancing its development of enterprise-grade large language models (LLMs), such as its open-source Llama models.
Similarly, Zoom is also concentrating on AI-driven growth. In March, Zoom introduced Zoom Workplace, an AI-powered collaboration platform. The company is actively working to customize and monetize the enterprise use of its generative AI assistant, Zoom AI Companion, as highlighted by CEO Eric Yuan during a recent earnings call.
Meta is committed to supporting its users’ transition to Zoom’s Workvivo system, providing tools to facilitate the migration process.
In conclusion, Meta’s decision to shutter Workplace and shift focus to AI and the metaverse reflects broader trends in the tech industry, where companies are increasingly investing in advanced technologies to drive future growth. This move marks the end of an era for Workplace but opens up new possibilities for Meta in the realms of AI and immersive virtual experiences.