Meta Launches AI-Powered Ray-Bans for Users in Europe

Meta AI says its Ray-Ban smartglasses are now available in four European countries.

Beginning Monday (Nov. 18), users in France, Spain, Ireland and Italy can use these artificial intelligence (AI)-powered glasses to get answers to questions, with those responses now available in French, Italian and Spanish, as well as in English.

“With Meta AI on Ray-Ban Meta glasses, people have a hands-free way to ask questions on-the-go and receive real time answers and information, recommendations, or even receive some creative writing inspiration,” the company said in a news release.

For instance, users can ask, “Hey Meta, what’s the best patisserie in Paris?” or “What are some good gift ideas for my kids aged 6 and 8?” and instantly get an answer. Features that rely on Meta AI’s ability to answer questions about what the user can see (“Tell me about this landmark”) are only available in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Meta noted that it will expand the sale the glasses to other parts of the European Union soon, and that it has been working to ensure the product complies “with Europe’s complex regulatory system.”

The rollout comes as the tech giant — like many of its contemporaries — faces ongoing regulatory pressure in Europe.

Last week, the European Commission fined Meta 797.72 million euros (about $842 million), saying the company had broken European Union (EU) antitrust rules by tying Facebook Marketplace to Facebook.

The commission found that Meta gave its online classified ads service a significant advantage over its rivals by automatically giving the users of its social network access to it, whether they want it or not.

Meta has said it will appeal the decision, while also working to comply with the issues raised by the EC.

The company last week said it was promoting its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses at a Meta Lab pop-up store in Los Angeles that allows visitors to experience the product firsthand, regardless of whether they end up making a purchase.

“When you let somebody try out a pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, you become the best salesperson ever,” Creative Director Matt Jacobson said in a blog post. “Getting these on people’s faces so they could play with it and discover Meta AI, that is really magical.”

In another, separate development in this space, this month saw reports that Apple was exploring the viability of entering the smart glasses market, launching an in-house study of currently available products.