This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Meta (META, Finance) has seen rising consumer interest in its Ray-Ban smart glasses, with analysts saying its partnership with Essilor Luxottica marks the first meaningful commercial breakthrough for artificial intelligence glasses. The frames include built-in cameras that allow people to take photos and movies, broadcast to the Meta app, and talk to artificial intelligence assistants. These features raise a lot of privacy concerns in Europe.
Previously, regulators in Italy and Ireland were unsure whether the device would work well enough to let onlookers know, but Meta and EssilorLuxottica have made the recording indicator light larger. The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act and GDPR apply to the glasses, making it harder for people to use them.
EssilorLuxottica said smart glasses have increased its sales by more than four percentage points in the past nine months, although they still account for only a small portion of its total revenue. Analysts say its 18,000-store network and strong brand portfolio give it advantages that earlier smart wearables like Google Glass don’t have.
The speed of the game is getting faster and faster. In China, Alibaba released a model of AI glasses, and Google plans to release its own version in 2026. Next year, Apple is expected to launch a model, while Xiaomi has already released a similar one.
As privacy scrutiny intensifies and new companies enter the market, Meta and EssilorLuxottica will have to keep progressing.
