Meta unveiled new smart glasses on Wednesday at its annual developer conference in Menlo Park, California, expanding its lineup amid ongoing privacy concerns surrounding wearable technology. The company introduced three models of glasses, including a virtual reality (VR) version designed for gaming and live sports viewing, an audio-only pair without cameras, and an upgraded camera-equipped model. These devices are integrated with Meta’s artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, Muse, which recently gained prominence as a top app on the App Store.
The audio-only glasses, priced at $349, represent a notable shift for Meta, removing the camera feature that drew criticism for enabling covert recording. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg described this adjustment as an opportunity for sleeker, lighter designs with improved battery life. However, Meta continues to market versions with cameras, allowing users to take photos and videos. The company recently disabled the cameras on thousands of smart glasses that had been modified to bypass the recording indicator light, signaling efforts to address misuse.
Meta’s push into AI-driven wearables follows a strategic reassessment. Zuckerberg acknowledged an “evolution” from a focus on the metaverse to prioritizing AI technologies, emphasizing the potential of “personal superintelligence” delivered through these devices. Muse is set to receive updates enabling video chatting with its avatar and managing email accounts, aiming to enhance user interaction and expand AI’s utility in daily tasks. Partnerships with companies like Shopify and Expedia are intended to demonstrate practical applications of AI assistants.
Industry analysts view Meta’s diversification as a response to privacy backlash and an attempt to monetize its significant AI investments. Avi Greengart of Techspotential noted the strategic offering of glasses with and without cameras to cater to differing privacy preferences. The VR glasses, costing $1,300 and scheduled for spring release, resemble Apple’s Vision Pro headset in design and function, suggesting competition in the expanding AR/VR market.
Meta’s chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth, addressed privacy concerns by downplaying the impact of a minority of users who misuse the technology, asserting that most customers engage with the glasses responsibly. Nonetheless, critics highlight ongoing challenges in regulating wearable devices capable of constant recording. Privacy advocates, such as Evan Greer from Fight for the Future, argue that existing policies lag behind technological advancements, raising concerns about the proliferation of surveillance capabilities among individuals and corporations.
Meta is not alone in pursuing AI-enabled wearables. Apple recently released a smartwatch capable of generating conversation summaries, though it denies recording user conversations. Reports indicate Apple is developing camera-equipped glasses with enhanced privacy features. Google also plans to launch camera glasses with its AI chatbot Gemini, nearly a decade and a half after its initial Google Glass experiment, which ultimately failed due to privacy fears and public backlash.
The resurgence of smart glasses and other AI wearables reflects broader industry motivations, including the drive to generate revenue from costly AI research and to collect valuable user data. Privacy experts warn that devices capturing audio and visual information ubiquitously pose significant implications for personal privacy, fueling debates over acceptable boundaries of surveillance in public and private spaces.
As tech companies continue to promote smart glasses and related devices, the tension between innovation, commercial interests, and privacy protection remains a central issue facing consumers, regulators, and the industry alike.