Facebook has announced that it will create 10,000 new jobs across the European Union to help develop the “metaverse.”

The social media giant describes the metaverse as a new phase of interconnected virtual experiences using technologies like virtual and augmented reality.

The new jobs, which will be created over the next five years, will include roles for “highly specialised engineers.”

“At its heart is the idea that by creating a greater sense of “virtual presence”, interacting online can become much closer to the experience of interacting in person,” wrote Nick Clegg, vice president global Affairs at Facebook, in a blog post. “The metaverse has the potential to help unlock access to new creative, social and economic opportunities. And Europeans will be shaping it right from the start.”

The company said that it is an exciting time for European tech and that the EU has a number of advantages that make it a great location for tech companies to invest in, including a large consumer market, “first class universities,” and top-quality talent.

Facebook added that the EU also has an important role to play in shaping the new rules of the internet.

“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,” explained Clegg. “Facebook shares these values and we have taken considerable action over the years to uphold them.

“We hope to see the completion of the Digital Single Market to support Europe’s existing advantages, as well as stability on international data flows, which are essential to a flourishing digital economy.”

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