Meta Unveils Muse AI Agent and Lightweight VR Glasses

Meta announced a comprehensive AI and wearables strategy at its Connect conference Wednesday, introducing a consumer AI agent called Muse and a dramatically lighter virtual reality device as CEO Mark Zuckerberg positioned the company against industry calls to pause advanced AI development.

Zuckerberg opened the keynote by acknowledging "it's no secret that people in the industry have a wide range of views about how the future is going to go," but emphasized Meta's optimistic stance. He explicitly rejected proposals from rival companies for coordinated slowdowns in AI development, arguing instead for distributing the technology widely with appropriate safeguards rather than concentrating it among a few organizations.

Why it matters

Meta's push into consumer AI agents and lightweight wearables represents a bet that AI will become accessible through everyday devices rather than remaining confined to screens and keyboards. The company's emphasis on "empowering people" and "personal superintelligence" signals a strategic divergence from competitors focused on enterprise applications or cautious deployment. If successful, Meta's approach could reshape how millions interact with AI daily — though the $1,300 price point for VR glasses and lingering privacy concerns around recording-capable devices remain significant barriers to mass adoption.

Muse agent as centerpiece

Meta Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang described Muse as the "centerpiece" of the company's AI vision, designed to move beyond chatbots by acting and performing tasks on users' behalf. The agent supports real-time voice conversations and video chats, with customizable appearance and voice options.

Muse can handle practical tasks including travel planning, restaurant reservations, and grocery ordering through partnerships with OpenTable, Spotify, Ticketmaster, and other services. Meta plans to integrate Muse into its smart glasses lineup for hands-free access and will release a palm-sized keychain device called Muse Charm in December for AI interaction without phones or computers.

Expanded wearables lineup

Meta introduced Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses in October starting at $349, offering music playback, calls, and AI assistant access without screens or video recording capabilities. The company also announced a hearing enhancement feature that functions as an FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aid for mild to moderate hearing loss, available later this year for $150 or through a Meta One subscription.

The Ray-Ban Display glasses received upgrades including improved navigation and personalized holograms for video calls. Meta plans to offer over 100 style options across Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta Glasses brands by year-end, expanding availability to Turkey, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. Third-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses launched immediately at $449.

Lightweight VR glasses

The most significant hardware announcement was Meta VR Glasses, replacing bulky headsets with a 100-gram device roughly the weight of a deck of cards — five times lighter than the 2023 Meta Quest 3. The glasses use eye-tracking and hand gestures for control, eliminating traditional controllers.

The device requires a wired connection to an external puck for battery and processing. Features include access to over 100 immersive live sports events through partnerships with ESPN, MLB, NBC Sports, TNT Sports, and UFC, plus more than 75 hand-gesture-controlled games at launch. Work applications include virtual keyboards on flat surfaces and multi-screen displays visible only to the wearer, with Mac and Windows PC connectivity.

The VR glasses will launch in spring 2027 at $1,300, according to details first reported by WRAL.