'People without AI glasses will…', warns Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Ray Ban Smart Glasses

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made a bold prediction about the future of artificial intelligence, suggesting that individuals who do not adopt AI-powered smart glasses will face a “significant cognitive disadvantage” in the years ahead. Speaking during Meta’s Q2 earnings call, Zuckerberg claimed that smart glasses will soon become the primary interface through which people interact with AI in their daily lives.

“Glasses are basically going to be the ideal form factor for AI,” Zuckerberg said. “If you don’t have glasses that have AI, or some way to interact with AI, you’re probably going to be at a pretty significant cognitive disadvantage compared to other people.”

Zuckerberg believes that wearable AI will not only replace smartphones and traditional productivity tools but also act as a form of “personal superintelligence” that understands its user’s goals, environment, and routines. He likened the need for AI glasses in the future to how essential vision correction is today for those with impaired sight.

According to him, AI glasses will allow users to see, hear, and talk to digital intelligence throughout their day, offering features like instant answers, real-time object recognition, and language translation based on what the user is looking at or listening to.

The comments were further elaborated upon in a Meta blog post on the future of superintelligence, in which Zuckerberg reiterated the company’s long-term vision for AI-integrated wearables. He said personal devices like smart glasses that can understand context and provide real-time assistance will soon become the dominant computing platform.

Meta has already taken early steps in this direction with its Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta smart glasses, which allow users to take photos, listen to music, and interact with Meta AI. The company is also working on a more advanced model called Orion, which is said to feature holographic displays and enhanced AI capabilities.

However, Meta’s push into hardware has come at a steep cost. Reality Labs, the division responsible for Meta’s AR and VR efforts, reported a $4.53 billion operating loss in the second quarter. Since 2020, the unit has accumulated nearly $70 billion in losses, raising fresh concerns about the commercial viability of Meta’s wearable strategy.

Despite the setbacks, Zuckerberg remains convinced that smart glasses will play a central role in the future of human-computer interaction. He believes people will increasingly move away from traditional software tools and towards more immersive, AI-driven experiences that enhance creativity and connection.