Privacy Fears Threaten AI Wearables as Meta Prepares Camera-Free Smart Glasses Launch

Meta is expected to unveil camera-free smart glasses as early as September 23, 2026, at its Connect conference, as privacy concerns mount over AI-powered wearables that can see, hear and respond to their surroundings. The backlash has been strongest against Meta's Ray-Bans, which face a lawsuit alleging human annotators viewed recordings of people changing clothes and using bathrooms after footage was uploaded to Meta's servers. Several UK venues, including pub chain Wetherspoon, have restricted the glasses' use. Meta said a non-disableable recording light protects bystanders and that it will contest the lawsuit. Samsung plans to enter the smart-glasses market later this year through partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said such devices will ultimately need to process data locally rather than via cloud servers. Startups including Even Realities, Pocket and Plaud are offering camera-free or activation-based alternatives, finding faster traction with business users than consumers.