In Meta’s Q2 earnings call, Zuckerberg goes a step further claiming that failing to adopt AI-integrated glasses will risk dealing with the “significant cognitive disadvantage” in the foreseeable future. This prediction builds on his recent blog post on AI and superintelligence.
AI Glasses Shifting the Industry
Zuckerberg firmly believes smart glasses will soon take the lead and become the primary interface for human-AI interaction.
“Glasses are basically going to be the ideal form factor for AI,” he commented.
“They can let an AI see what you see, hear what you hear, and talk to you.”
Zuckerberg further noted that the value of smart glasses will increase in the future as adding displays (holographic or minimal) will further unlock value.
Meta’s Snap: Oakley and Ray-Ban Smart Glasses
Meta has already launched Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses. These let users:
- Listen to music
- Take photos and videos
- Interact with Meta AI
- Pose real-time queries about what they are looking at.
These eyewear devices have experienced a notable increase in sales. EssilorLuxottica, the eyewear giant, announced that Ray-Ban Meta sales tripled year-over-year, indicating strong market interest.
Zuckerberg Doubles Down on Displays and Mixed Reality
As mentioned by the head of Meta, the forthcoming objective is the integration of powerful displays into AI glasses to enhance the connection between the physical and digital realms. This is all part of Meta’s investment in Reality Labs, the division of the company responsible for the research and development of AR and VR technologies.
In any case, Reality Labs has had some of the harshest financial impacts in the last period of time:
- Q2 2025 loss: $4.53 billion
- Total loss since 2020: Almost $70 billion
Zuckerberg, however, has not changed his position stating that these expenditures form part of building the infrastructure for the next generation of computing.
AI Devices: Glasses, Pins, or Something Else?
But, Meta is not including themselves in the competition alone as these other companies continue to work on other AI powered form factors:
- OpenAI, after purchasing Jony Ive’s startup, is looking to develop new consumer AI devices.
- Humane, previously released (and subsequently failed with) their AI pin.
- Limitless and Friend, working on AI pendants.
- Glasses continue to be the primary option as they are easy to wear and socially acceptable.
Blending Digital and Physical Worlds
Zuckerberg also included the development of AI glasses as part of the greater vision of the Metaverse. He sees them as enabling a more immersive experience in the blend of physical and virtual environments.
“Glasses are going to be the ideal way to blend the physical and digital,” he commented.
”AI is going to accelerate that.”
Key Takeaways:
According to Mark Zuckerberg, smart glasses powered by AI might become essential in the near future rather than optional tech.
- Meta’s smart glasses, especially the Ray-Ban Meta models, are experiencing significant growth.
- Subsequent models might feature augmented reality displays to improve engagement with AI.
- While other companies venture into mixed reality, Meta still considers Reality Labs a long-term wager on AI and mixed reality.
- For the time being, other tech companies are experimenting with other formats for wearable AI devices, but glasses remain the frontrunner.