“Hey Meta, what’s the weather like today?”—a classic question for an all-knowing AI, and a light way to start exploring what these glasses can do. Kicking off with a bit of humour, it’s safe to say the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses are no longer just a test for me; they’re becoming more of a habit. The glasses’ capabilities are still restricted to Meta-approved apps like Amazon Music. Once paired, they make for excellent Teams headsets. They also come in handy when needing a quick explanation from a podcast about a marketing abbreviation. It’s the way we all hoped Alexa would add to our lives, but this time the AI is there just a tap away—and I love it.

A surprising experience was using them on a recent train trip. Usually, I’m enclosed in a noise-cancelled bubble when working and travelling, but the open-ear effect of the glasses allowed for a more present experience. As a fan of bone-conductive headphones, I found the audio quality excellent. However, using the wake words made me feel self-conscious, especially on the crowded train, and I found myself avoiding it as more people boarded. This raised a question: would social acceptance become a barrier to wider use?

During this time, I used the glasses as an audio feed for a research document and fired up my favourite web-based AI writing partner of the moment—ChatGPT 40 Canvas. As for the camera? So far, there hasn’t been much need for it in Teams calls, and the tube isn’t a place to test potentially privacy-invading smart tech. On the train, I did have a moment where a young traveller noticed the glasses and pointed them out to his parents, leading to the whole family giving me curious looks. It was a small glimpse into the potential reactions to wearable tech. social perception may ultimately play a bigger role than technical specs like camera megapixels—something worth exploring further. 

Speaking of the camera, when and where is it useful? For social media, it’s an obvious win. But for those less inclined to share everything online, the ability to snap a candid photo, capture a creative scene, or document a successful retail installation is surprisingly practical. The results were better than expected, particularly for an impromptu creative composition or a store visit.

Back to the AI. Navigating was a bit of a letdown—no turn-by-turn directions like Google, and Meta only knew I was in London, but not where exactly. Less than useful. But that surprising reaction on the train stuck with me, and it’s something I’ll focus on in the next article: Meta may want you to wear them, but will your partner be okay with you leaving the house in AI specs? In the next article, I’ll dive deeper into how social acceptance might shape the future of these devices and how the role of always on AI could effect the way we shop.