Meta Plans to Equip New Smart Glasses with "Facial Recognition" Feature

Scanning Faces Near the Wearer: Identifying Names and Identities
Concerns Raised Over Privacy as Others May Not Be Aware

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, is reportedly planning to equip its next-generation smart glasses, scheduled for release next year, with a "facial recognition" feature. According to a report by IT media outlet The Information on May 8 (local time), Meta is currently developing two types of next-generation smart glasses, and these products are expected to include a function that scans the faces of people around the wearer to identify their names and identities.

This technology is part of a live AI feature called "Super Sensing," which is characterized by enabling AI functions to operate continuously for several hours, compared to the approximately 30 minutes currently possible on Meta's smart glasses. With this, wearers can receive various forms of support in daily life, such as recognizing the faces of others, receiving notifications if they forget their keys, or being reminded to buy ingredients for dinner on their way home from work. In addition, as long as the camera and sensors are turned on, the AI can track the wearer's actions.

The facial recognition feature is optional for smart glasses users, but people around them may not be aware that it is active. According to the report, the currently available Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses are designed to flash an LED light when the camera is in use. However, it remains unclear whether a similar indicator will be provided when the facial recognition feature is activated.

Meta's smart glasses are already showing strong performance in the market. The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, launched at the end of last year, sold 2 million units by February of this year. However, some have raised concerns that the facial recognition feature could pose risks to privacy.

This introduction of new features is seen as part of Meta's efforts to gain an early lead in the smart glasses market, following the unveiling of its next-generation AR glasses "Orion" last September. Industry experts predict that as major tech companies such as Google, Samsung Electronics, and Apple continue to enter the smart glasses market, Meta's technological innovation will help strengthen its market competitiveness.