Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: The AI stuff Meta promised is finally here, apparently
A couple of years ago, I tore into Meta’s first Ray-Ban smart glasses for not being smart enough. Now, as we close out 2023, Meta has finally added some cool-sounding “smart” features.
In a software update for the newest edition of the Ray-Ban glasses, Meta added some AI features that could actually be helpful, or at least could be interesting conversation-starters to show off to your friends. For instance, you can ask the glasses to translate signs in foreign languages into English, or find out the name of a plant you’re looking at. Other features include the ability to have the glasses auto-generate a caption for an Instagram photo you just took.
To be clear, all of this is part of an early access beta program that’s only available in the U.S. right now. You can enroll in the program from the settings menu of the Meta View mobile app that you already use to interface with the glasses from your phone. Turn that on, start your voice prompts with “Hey Meta,” and go nuts.
Up to this point, Meta’s smart glasses venture has felt mostly like a dud because the glasses were primarily used for taking social media photos and videos. The newer ones did come packaged with a Meta AI voice assistance, but prior to this update, it was mostly just a Siri clone.
The glasses still don’t have a cool holographic UI overlay of the world around you, but hey, maybe that’ll come with time.
