Meta has unveiled a new range of AI-powered wearables, including camera-free smart glasses, as the company responds to growing concerns over privacy and the unauthorised recording of people.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the products on Wednesday at the company’s annual Connect conference at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, where he also introduced Muse, a new personal artificial intelligence assistant.
“There are almost 2 billion people in the world who wear glasses today… and we think that in the coming years, most of these are going to get upgraded to AI glasses,” Zuckerberg told developers and executives at the event.
Zuckerberg described Muse as “the centerpiece of our vision”.
The new audio-only glasses, which do not have cameras, will go on sale on October 13 with a starting price of $349.
Their launch comes as concerns grow worldwide over privacy risks associated with miniature cameras embedded in glasses and other wearable devices, particularly the recording of women and girls without their consent.
Smart glasses allow users to take photographs and videos, listen to music, make phone calls, translate text and interact with artificial intelligence assistants.
While the new camera-free glasses remove the ability to record images, Meta is also releasing several other smart-glasses models that retain photo and video capabilities.
Meta Vice President of AI Product Vishal Shah said privacy protections remained an important part of the company’s approach, including a recording indicator light on glasses equipped with cameras.
“We wanted people to clearly understand that this was something that was recording, and we’ve only made that light more explicit over time,” Shah told AFP on Wednesday.
He added that Meta needed to continue reminding users about the recording feature because its privacy measures had not changed.
Meta is betting that smart glasses and other wearables will provide a major gateway to its artificial intelligence services. The company has nearly four billion monthly active users across its ecosystem.
Meta introduced its first smart glasses in 2021 before unveiling display glasses last year that project images onto the lenses.
Earlier this year, the company introduced its own Meta-branded AI glasses, separate from its partnership with eyewear manufacturer EssilorLuxottica, whose portfolio includes Ray-Ban and Oakley Meta models.
Meta also announced new versions of its flagship Meta Ray-Ban glasses. The display model, which starts at $799, is set to expand into markets including Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Canada.
The company is also preparing to launch mixed-reality glasses designed to be lighter than its earlier Quest virtual reality headsets.
The product, called Meta VR Glasses, uses an external battery and memory pack connected by a cord, allowing the headset itself to be lighter.
Zuckerberg said the glasses weigh about as much as a deck of cards.
The device has no external controls and instead relies on hand gestures and voice commands. It is scheduled to launch in spring 2027 at $1,299.
Meta Expands AI Push With Muse
Meta is also expanding its consumer AI strategy with Muse, an agentic application designed to perform tasks on behalf of users.
After users connect personal accounts, including finance, health and shopping services, Muse can be used to sign up for services, book appointments and make calls.
Meta said the Muse app had become the top free application on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, ahead of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini.
Zuckerberg also previewed another Muse product, the Muse Charm, which is expected to launch before the end of the year. Meta has not announced its price.
The puck-shaped device features a display and is designed to allow users to interact with their Muse agent without using a smartphone.
Meta’s AI expansion comes amid growing competition and scrutiny.
Amazon this week blocked Meta from using AI bots to automatically shop on its platform, while Instacart, Shopify and Expedia have announced partnerships to integrate their services with Muse. Meta also said Walmart, Best Buy, Gap and Sephora are partnering with the application.
The company, whose primary revenue comes from advertising on Instagram and Facebook, continues to face privacy and child-safety challenges in several markets.
In August, Meta settled a lawsuit brought by US states that accused the company of violating consumer protection and children’s online privacy laws. The settlement involved payments of up to $18 billion and restrictions affecting teenagers.
The company also faces age-based restrictions and bans in some countries, as well as thousands of potential personal injury lawsuits in the United States.
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