Meta expected to unveil new smart glasses at Connect event

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Meta is expected to show off artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses at its Connect developer conference Wednesday as CEO Mark Zuckerberg continues to evangelize the glasses as the next step in human-computer interactions.

“Last year’s Meta Connect was far less metaverse and far more AI. Expect this year’s event to be virtually dominated by AI, specifically AI glasses and superintelligence," said Forrester research director Mike Proulx. “While Meta has the head start on AI glasses, competition is chomping at the bit with new entrants.”

The Menlo Park, California-based company teased a prototype for Orion, which Zuckerberg called “the most advanced glasses the world has ever seen,” last year — but these holographic augmented reality glasses are still years away from being on the market.

Instead, analysts expect Meta to show off new smart glasses, likely with a small display controlled by a wristband the user wears.

“While more of an experimentation platform, they should enable consumers to access time, weather, notifications, frame and preview pictures, show captions and translate speeches, allow early integration of Meta’s assets (WhatsApp and Instagram), and display Meta AI responses,” said Forrester's Thomas Husson.

Meta is also expected to show off updates to its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which “are likely to have enhanced AI capabilities interpreting the user’s surroundings and context," the analyst added.

While the company has not disclosed sales figures of the glasses, it said they've been more popular than expected, helped by social media creators.

“For more than a decade, Zuckerberg’s long-term vision with Oculus and the Metaverse has been that glasses and headsets will blur the lines between physical and digital worlds,” Husson said. “After many false starts, the momentum to move beyond an early adopter niche is now.”

Of course, the company will also likely share AI updates, including to its standalone Meta AI app. Like other tech companies, Meta has been making massive investments in AI development and hiring top talent at eye-popping compensation levels.

In July, Zuckerberg posted a note detailing his views on “personal superintelligence” that he believes will “help humanity accelerate our pace of progress.” While he said that developing superintelligence is now “in sight,” he did not detail how this will be achieved or exactly what “superintelligence” means.

The abstract idea of “superintelligence” is what rival companies call artificial general intelligence, or AGI. It’s the latest pivot for a tech leader who in 2021 went all-in on the idea of the metaverse, changing the company’s name and investing billions into advancing virtual reality and related technology.

Zuckerberg said he believes AI glasses are going to be “the main way we integrate superintelligence.”

Zuckerberg will deliver his keynote Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern.