Meta introduces smart glasses featuring built-in display, pursuing ‘superintelligence’

Meta Platforms on Wednesday unveiled its first consumer-ready smart glasses with a built-in digital display, expanding its growing lineup of wearable devices and signaling CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s ambition to place artificial intelligence at the center of daily life.

The new product, dubbed Meta Ray-Ban Display, marks the company’s most significant step yet in merging fashion, utility, and AI. The launch was staged at Meta’s annual Connect developer conference in Menlo Park, California, where Zuckerberg pitched the glasses as a natural bridge toward what he called “personal superintelligence.”

“Glasses are the ideal form factor for personal superintelligence,” Zuckerberg told the audience. “They let you stay present in the moment while giving you access to AI capabilities that make you smarter, help you communicate better, improve your memory, sharpen your senses, and more.”

The Ray-Ban Display glasses feature a small, built-in screen in the right lens for lightweight tasks such as notifications, navigation prompts, and incoming call alerts. They will retail at $799 and begin shipping on September 30.

A rocky but ambitious debut

The launch presentation was not without hiccups. During a live demo, a call to the glasses failed to connect, prompting Zuckerberg to laugh it off.
“I don’t know what to tell you guys—I keep messing this up,” he admitted, as the audience responded with supportive applause.

Despite the glitch, the glasses represent a continuation of Meta’s early success in the smart eyewear market. Its Ray-Ban collaboration, first introduced in 2021, has been one of the most commercially viable consumer hardware projects to emerge in the AI boom.

Competing in the AI arms race

The move underscores Meta’s determination to close the gap with rivals like OpenAI and Google, both of which lead in advanced AI model development. Zuckerberg has already committed tens of billions of dollars to AI infrastructure, including next-generation chips, while aggressively recruiting top engineers from competing firms.

Analysts, however, remain cautious about near-term adoption. Many see the Display glasses less as a blockbuster consumer hit and more as a stepping stone toward Meta’s highly anticipated “Orion” glasses, slated for release in 2027. A prototype of Orion, revealed last year, was described by Zuckerberg as “a time machine to the future.”

“Consumer awareness and availability of AI glasses with displays remain limited,” said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager at IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. “But that will change as Meta, Google, and others roll out new products in the next 18 months.”

IDC forecasts that global shipments of AR/VR headsets and display-free smart glasses will grow 39.2% in 2025, reaching 14.3 million units, with Meta’s Ray-Ban line expected to drive much of the momentum.

Expanding the lineup

Alongside the Display glasses, Meta announced:

• Oakley Vanguard: A new $499 model tailored for athletes, integrating with platforms such as Garmin and Strava. The glasses deliver real-time workout stats, post-session summaries, and up to nine hours of battery life. Available October 21.

• Updated Ray-Ban Smart Glasses: A refreshed version of its original line, now offering nearly double the battery life, an upgraded camera, and a higher price tag of $379 (up from $299).

All devices include Meta’s AI assistant, voice-activated hands-free control, built-in cameras, and the ability to livestream directly to Facebook and Instagram.

Clouds on the horizon

The launch comes at a turbulent time for Meta, which is under intense scrutiny for its handling of child safety on its social platforms. Recent reports from Reuters revealed that some Meta chatbots engaged children in inappropriate conversations around sex and race, while whistleblowers alleged the company discouraged internal research into the harmful effects of VR on younger users.

Such controversies could complicate Meta’s push into wearable AI, particularly as regulators worldwide examine the risks of mixing powerful AI with always-on consumer hardware.

Looking ahead

While few expect the new Display glasses to immediately reshape the consumer market, industry experts suggest they lay crucial groundwork for the eventual mainstreaming of AI eyewear. For Zuckerberg, the vision is clear: smart glasses are not just another gadget—they are the gateway to a world where AI acts as a constant, seamless extension of human intelligence.

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