Meta AI smart glasses were the star of Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote presentation at the annual Meta Connect conference, as the company doubles down on its vision of wearable technology as the next big platform.
Speaking to an audience at Meta’s Silicon Valley campus, Zuckerberg revealed the new Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, a pair of Oakley Meta Vanguard sports-oriented glasses, and a neural wristband that allows users to control devices with small hand gestures.
Ray-Ban Meta Display: Full-Color Lens with Built-in AI
The Ray-Ban Display smart glasses feature a high-resolution full-color screen in one lens, letting users make video calls, view messages, and access Meta AI tools. The glasses also come with a 12MP camera, continuing Meta’s push to make wearables a seamless extension of users’ digital lives.
During the on-stage demo, a WhatsApp call attempt failed several times, prompting Zuckerberg to laugh it off, saying, “I keep on messing this up.” Despite the technical hiccup, he described the product as a “huge scientific breakthrough.”
Neural Wristband and Gesture Control
The neural wristband that debuted alongside the glasses lets users send messages and control apps with subtle hand movements. This marks one of Meta’s first attempts to bring brain-computer interface technology to everyday consumers.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Sports-Focused Smart Glasses
In addition to the Ray-Ban model, Zuckerberg introduced the Oakley Meta Vanguard, priced at $499 and designed with athletes and sports enthusiasts in mind. The company also announced a second-generation Ray-Ban Meta Glasses at $379.
Market Reception and Analyst Reactions
Meta has sold about two million pairs of smart glasses since entering the market in 2023. Analysts say smart glasses may find more success than Meta’s metaverse project because they are “an everyday, non-cumbersome form factor.”
However, Mike Proulx, VP at Forrester, warned that Meta must convince mainstream users that AI glasses offer enough value to justify the cost.
Massive Investment in AI
Meta is currently spending billions on AI infrastructure, including data centers nearly the size of Manhattan, and aggressively hiring top AI researchers. Zuckerberg has publicly committed to building “superintelligence” — AI technology that can outperform human cognitive capabilities.
Criticism and Protests
While the announcement generated buzz, Meta continues to face criticism. On the same day as the launch, activists protested outside Meta’s New York headquarters, demanding better child safety protections.
Two former Meta safety researchers recently testified before the US Senate, accusing the company of suppressing internal studies on the harmful effects of its VR products on children. Meta has denied the allegations, calling them “nonsense.”
Source: BBC News
