Google’s first AI Glasses are expected to debut next year

Google will launch its first AI glasses in 2026, according to a post on the company’s blog.

At the Google I/O event in May, the company announced partnerships with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to create consumer wearables based on Android XR, the operating system that powers Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset.

But you can’t wear a bulky headset while out in the real world, which makes smart glasses attractive as less cluttered smart glasses to wear.

“For AI and XR to be truly useful, devices must fit seamlessly into your life and match your personal style,” Google wrote. “We want to give you the freedom to choose the right balance of weight, style and indulgence for your needs.”

Google is working on different types of AI-powered glasses – one model is designed for screen-less assistance, using built-in speakers, microphones and cameras to allow the user to communicate with Gemini and take photos. The other model has an in-lens display — which is only visible to the person wearing the glasses — that can show turn-by-turn directions or closed captions.

Google also shared a preview of Xreal’s wired XR glasses called Project Aura. This model falls between a bulky headphone and an unobtrusive pair of glasses. Beyond simply being an in-lens display, Project Aura glasses can serve as an extended workplace or entertainment device, allowing the user to use Google’s suite of products or stream video as they would in a more advanced headset.

And while Meta has made early progress in developing smart glasses, Google now joins Apple and Snap among the companies expected to challenge Meta with their own devices next year.

Meta’s smart glasses have caught on thanks in part to its partnership with Ray-Ban, and it sells these products in retail stores. Google’s partnership with Warby Parker looks set to follow a similar strategy, as it has committed $75 million so far to support the eyewear company’s product development and marketing costs. If Warby Parker hits certain milestones, Google will commit an additional $75 million and take a stake in the brand.