Meta is quietly leading the AI wearable race with its Ray-Ban smart glasses. The built-in AI assistant responds to the “Hey Meta” voice command and can answer questions or examine what you’re looking at. While imperfect, when it works well, it offers a glimpse into the future.
Initially, Meta didn’t expect generative AI to play a significant role in smart glasses. However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that multimodal AI would be integrated, creating a “whole new angle” and potentially becoming the killer feature before “super high-quality holographics” arrive. With billions invested in AR glasses over the past six years and lukewarm reception to the first generation of Meta Ray-Bans, the second iteration needs to be a win.
Early signs are positive. Third-party estimates suggest over one million pairs have been sold. In Meta’s most recent earnings call, Zuckerberg mentioned that several models had sold out. Now, with multimodal AI enabled, Meta may have the best AI wearable on the market.
Admittedly, the bar is still relatively low. Smartphones still best serve most use cases. However, smart glasses offer a more convenient way to leverage AI technology.
Real-world experience shows the AI assistant in Meta Ray-Bans can be helpful, but also occasionally provides misinformation or acts erratically. For example, it can correctly identify a Samsung Frame TV as a Samsung QLED, but not as a Frame TV—a more valuable piece of information. It might also tell you that you can buy an Apple TV remote on Amazon but offer no pricing information. A formal product recommendation system is reportedly in development.
On the other hand, the AI assistant can accurately provide instructions for making a caprese salad, confirm that a can of La Croix has zero calories, and offer helpful tips for smoking wood chips in a propane grill.
