Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are getting a bunch of AI upgrades and live translation

Ray-Ban Meta glasses in black worn by a woman
(Image credit: Meta)

What you need to know

  • The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are getting a bunch of AI updates in beta, allowing you to ask them to remember things you see.
  • A new video feature will let the glasses see what you see in real-time, launching later this year.
  • They’ll also have the ability to scan QR codes and phone numbers, plus expanded live translation between English and French, Italian, or Spanish.

The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are picking up a host of updates in beta designed to make them smarter than before.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg just announced that soon, you’ll be able to ask the smart glasses to remember things you spot—like when you’re about to run out of your cereal.

These spectacles already give you insights about what’s in front of you by using their cameras, thanks to earlier beta updates from this year. For example, the AI can recognize objects, share info about landmarks, and even translate languages while you’re traveling.

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses worn by a man

(Image credit: Meta)

Building on those features, the company is adding video to Meta AI, allowing the glasses to see what you see in real-time when you ask. Meta mentions some scenarios where AI can assist you more naturally, such as when you’re out exploring a city or cooking up a meal. This new feature is set to roll out later this year.

The smart glasses have also picked up some extra features, including the ability to scan QR codes and phone numbers. Plus, they offer expanded live translation between English and French, Italian, or Spanish, though this won't be available until later this year.

Additionally, you’ll soon be able to enjoy integrations with Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, and iHeart. Meta has also added a fresh selection of Transitions lenses from EssilorLuxottica.

With all the hype around AI hardware lately, Meta’s glasses are trying to make their mark by offering vision-based services. Whether this approach can help the product avoid the rocky launch that the Humane AI Pin had remains to be seen.

Sure, the Humane AI Pin has a camera for spotting objects and describing them, but there’s a certain ease to wearing a camera on your face. Just say the right prompt, and you get a response right in your ear.


Jay Bonggolto
News Writer & Reviewer

Jay Bonggolto always keeps a nose for news. He has been writing about consumer tech and apps for as long as he can remember, and he has used a variety of Android phones since falling in love with Jelly Bean. Send him a direct message via Twitter or LinkedIn.