Meta, Ray-Ban Target 10 Million AI Glass Production By 2026

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is positioning itself as a leader in the emerging smart glasses market.Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica (OTC:ESLOF) has partnered with Meta to manufacture AI-powered eyewear.Francesco Milleri, EssilorLuxottica’s Chairman and CEO, expressed his belief that glasses, once seen as prosthetics and later as fashion accessories, are on track to become central devices, potentially replacing smartphones, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.Also Read: Meta To Acquire Rivos To Power AI Ambitions: ReportHe envisions a future where smart glasses, connected, could form massive global communities.As part of this vision, the company plans to ramp up production of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, with annual production expected to reach 10 million units by the end of next year.The partnership with Meta, in which Meta holds a 3% stake and has invested 3.5 billion euros (roughly $4.06 billion), could drive substantial revenue growth.Meta has already unveiled its $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display, capable of showing text messages, video calls, and AI-powered results, and Zuckerberg envisions expanding the range of tasks users can complete on smart glasses.Other PlayersIn China, Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) has entered the smart glasses market with the launch of its first AI-powered Quark AI glasses at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai.These glasses, designed to integrate seamlessly with Alibaba’s ecosystem—including Alipay, Taobao, and Amap—run on Qualcomm’s (NASDAQ:QCOM) Snapdragon AR1 chip and offer real-time interaction features like QR code scanning for payments, price checks, and navigation while walking or biking.Alibaba’s move into the AI glasses space intensifies competition with Meta, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL).Apple is pursuing multiple head-mounted projects, with rollouts expected by 2027, potentially surpassing Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses in the process.Meanwhile, Snap (NYSE:SNAP) is reportedly preparing to release lightweight AR glasses, further intensifying the race among tech giants.Analyst OpinionBank of America Securities analyst Justin Post noted the Meta $799 glasses were functional, lightweight, and intuitive, with extensive AI-enhanced audio/visual features.The analyst is also bullish on Meta’s core growth drivers, including AI-driven ads, Reels, and messaging monetization.JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth highlighted Meta’s strong ad performance and its strategic investment in AI and the metaverse, even projecting significant losses from Reality Labs through 2026.He views Meta’s scale and network effects as key strengths for long-term success.META Price Action: Meta Platforms shares are trading lower by 0.17% to $716.65 at publication on Thursday. Disney Hikes Theme Park Prices, But California Locals Get A Perk Image via Shutterstock