Meta develops an AI pendant

According to a report, Meta is working on several new AI glasses and an AI supporter to help reduce the high losses of his Future Labor Reality Labs. In addition to selling the devices, Meta also wants to monetize them via associated AI services. This emerges from an internal memo, about which The Information reports.

According to the report, the first new AI glasses with the code name “Modelo” should appear in June. In autumn, the models “Luna” and “RBM2 Refresh” will follow before a fourth AI glasses with the code name “Mojito VIP” will be launched in December. In addition, Meta tested internal prototypes with the designations “Artemis” and “SSG” (“Supersensing Glasses”) that could appear later.

“Artemis” is probably Meta’s first commercial AR glasses. Behind “SSG” could be an AI glasses, whose cameras and AI systems could continuously capture and analyze the environment and support a restricted form of facial recognition. This suggests an earlier report by The Information.

According to the new report, Meta also plans with internal tests of an AI follower next spring. According to the memo, the device could have a camera, but the document does not contain further information on equipment, functions or design. Meta took over the start-up limitless last year, which developed an AI pendant.

Meta focuses on broad portfolio and AI subscriptions

According to the internal letter, Meta has ambitious goals for its wearables business. In the second half of the year, the company intends to sell ten million wearables. For comparison: In the past year, Meta set seven million AI glasses. The new brand is to be achieved through new products and an expansion of sales to other countries.

Video by heise

Further revenue will be generated by AI services linked to wearables. “In order to build a sustainable business that does not depend solely on hardware margins, we need to monetize the software services our devices take off from the competition,” writes Alex Himel, Metas Vice President of Wearables, in the Memo.

The strategy aims, among other things, to increase the use of Metas AI models and to achieve recurring revenue through paid Meta-AI subscriptions. The wearables are based on Meta's current KI model Muse Spark and other planned models. These are to be supplemented by an AI agent, not yet published, named Hatch, who is aimed at end customers. By the end of the year, Meta is targeting 6.8 million monthly active users of its wearables.

Next big bet: AI-Wearables

The pressure is high, because Meta loses two-digit billions each year with Reality Labs, the division for VR headsets, Smart Glasses and associated software. Despite immense investments, the hardware division has so far generated only comparatively low revenues.

After the large breakthrough of VR glasses has so far been lost and corresponding investments have recently been withdrawn, Meta now hopes that Smart Glasses will become the preferred terminal for AI assistants.

In this area, however, competition is already awaiting: Google wants to launch first AI glasses together with several partners in autumn, while Apple is planning to prepare products for the coming year. OpenAI also works on AI gadgets, including smart glasses.

(tobe)