According to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, video meetings could look very different in the near future. He included a prediction about the future of work, and how it could be changed by the rise of the metaverse, the virtual worlds being built by tech companies like Meta and Microsoft, where users will be able to work, play and socialize.

Bill Gates says the metaverse will host most of your office meetings within 'two or three years' — here's what it will look like (via @CNBCMakeIt) https://t.co/W74ZsLcfx3

— CNBC (@CNBC) December 9, 2021

In his blog, Gates said:

“Within the next two or three years, I predict most virtual meetings will move from 2D camera image grids...to the metaverse, a 3D space with digital avatars,” 

The Covid-19 pandemic has already revolutionized the workplace, with more companies offering flexibility to employees who want to work remotely. 

According to him, workers will use VR headsets and motion-capture gloves to interact with colleagues. The company plans to release an interim version next year, in which employees can animate an avatar on current 2D web screens with a webcam.