There have been few hotter buzzwords this year than “metaverse,” and Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost will readily admit that the concept is approaching “peak hype.”

“You’re familiar with the hype cycle, right?” he asked ZDNET last week, ahead of the company’s annual event, Autodesk University. For those unfamiliar with it, the “high hype” phase is followed by a “low point of disappointment.”

However, Autodesk is committed to the concept of the metaverse. The company makes software widely used by “makers,” which includes architects and engineers, product designers and manufacturers, as well as media and entertainment professionals. Their…