At the Real Cool Festival in Madrid, Lorde took a stand against AI smart glasses, calling them unattractive and urging people to avoid them. Her comments implicitly referenced Ray-Ban's collaboration with Meta, which has drawn scrutiny over privacy and continuous recording features.
- Lorde denounces AI glasses as 'not sexy' during Madrid festival.
- Comments likely aimed at Ray-Ban's Meta partnership smart glasses.
- Meta plans new 'super sensing' glasses despite backlash.
What happened
During her set at the Real Cool Festival held in Madrid, Lorde voiced her opposition to AI-enabled smart glasses. Without naming specific brands, she criticized these devices as unappealing and urged the audience not to buy them, describing them with strong language. Her remarks were captured and widely circulated on social media.
This moment occurred in the context of Ray-Ban's sponsorship of the festival and its collaboration with Meta to produce smart glasses embedded with AI capabilities. Notably, Lorde's comments came just before Blackpink's Jennie, a Ray-Ban Meta ambassador, performed, further highlighting the link between the criticism and the brand partnership.
Why it matters
The criticism from a high-profile artist like Lorde reflects growing public unease around privacy concerns associated with smart glasses, especially those capable of continuous recording. Meta's devices, often integrated with AI technologies, have faced intensified scrutiny amid fears over surveillance and data security.
Despite the negative feedback, Meta appears committed to advancing its smart glasses technology, reportedly developing a new version referred to as 'super sensing' glasses. These would feature persistent recording capabilities, raising further questions about societal acceptance and regulatory oversight in the evolving AI wearables market.
What to watch next
Attention will focus on how Meta addresses privacy and user concerns as it prepares to launch its next-generation AI smart glasses. Public reactions and celebrity opinions, such as Lorde’s, may influence broader consumer attitudes and industry practices surrounding wearable AI tech.
Additionally, the role of brand ambassadors like Jennie in shaping the perceived desirability of these devices will be critical to monitor. Future marketing efforts and regulatory developments could determine the trajectory of smart glasses adoption amid skepticism about their social and ethical impact.