Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses do the AI thing without a projector or subscription

The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have been something of a pleasant surprise. They make videos, take photos, livestream and act as an adequate replacement for headphones, all while looking like a normal pair of sunglasses. However, everyone’s been waiting for the addition of multimodal AI after early access testing began in January. Now it’s here.

What is multimodal AI? Simply put, it’s a toolset that allows an AI assistant to process multiple types of information, including photos, videos, text and audio. It’s an AI that can view and understand the world around you in real time. This is the underlying concept behind Humane’s maligned AI Pin. Meta’s version is more conservative with its promises and, honestly, we came away impressed during our initial hands-on.

Multimodal Meta AI is rolling out widely on Ray-Ban Meta starting today! It's a huge advancement for wearables & makes using AI more interactive & intuitive.

Excited to share more on our multimodal work w/ Meta AI (& Llama 3), stay tuned for more updates coming soon. pic.twitter.com/DLiCVriMfk

— Ahmad Al-Dahle (@Ahmad_Al_Dahle) April 23, 2024

Here’s how it works. The glasses have a camera and five microphones, acting as the AI’s eyes and ears. With this in mind, you can ask the glasses to describe anything you are looking at. Do you want to know a dog’s breed before you go up and give it a good pet? Just ask the glasses. Meta says it can also read signs in different languages, which is great for traveling. We enjoyed exclaiming “Hey Meta, look at this and tell me what it says” and listening as it did just that. There’s even a landmark identification feature, though that wasn’t available to test.

There are some other potential use case scenarios, like staring at loose ingredients on a kitchen counter and asking the AI to whip up a relevant recipe. However, we need a few weeks of real people running the tech through its paces to gauge what it's actually good at. Real-time translation is going to be something of a killer app, particularly for tourists, but here's hoping it keeps the hallucinations to a minimum. Mark Zuckerberg has shown the AI picking out clothes for him to wear but, come on, that’s about as pie in the sky as it gets.

Multimodal AI wasn’t the only update for the smart glasses announced today. Meta revealed hands-free video call integration with WhatsApp and Messenger. There are also some new frame designs for the fashion-conscious. These new styles can be fitted with prescription lenses and are available for preorder right now. The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses start at $300, which isn’t chump change but is certainly better than $700 for a clunky pin.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses-do-the-ai-thing-without-a-projector-or-subscription-175403559.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses-do-the-ai-thing-without-a-projector-or-subscription-175403559.html?src=rss
Created 1y | Apr 23, 2024, 6:40:18 PM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Apple, Mastercard and Visa's antitrust lawsuit over payments has been dismissed

Apple, Mastercard and Visa have successfully dodged

Jul 10, 2025, 11:20:16 PM | Engadget
Amazon Prime Day vacuum deals discount the Dyson V15 Detect Plus by $180

Amazon Prime Day has returned for the summer, making it a good time to check to see if any big-ticket gadgets on yo

Jul 10, 2025, 11:20:14 PM | Engadget
You can (finally) buy the Nintendo Switch 2 on Amazon (but don't expect a Prime Day deal)

The scramble to buy the first wave of Nintendo Switch 2 gaming consoles left a lot of fans in the lurch.

Jul 10, 2025, 11:20:13 PM | Engadget
Sony will have gorgeous PlayStation 5 bundles for Ghost of Yōtei

Ghost of Yōtei is one of Sony's bigger AAA releases this year, and the company is marking the upcoming launch with gorgeous

Jul 10, 2025, 11:20:12 PM | Engadget
The Naya Create modular keyboard is now available for purchase

The Naya Create modular keyboard is now available for general purchase after being an exclusive for Kickstarter backers. It features a spli

Jul 10, 2025, 9:10:22 PM | Engadget
Indeed and Glassdoor are cutting more than 1,000 jobs

Job-hunting platforms Indeed and Glassdoor are cutting their workforce, and it may be thanks to good old artificial intelligence. About

Jul 10, 2025, 9:10:19 PM | Engadget