{"id":505263,"date":"2026-02-28T12:58:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T12:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/505263\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T12:58:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T12:58:10","slug":"smart-glasses-let-you-access-ai-on-the-fly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/505263\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart glasses let you access AI on the fly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Smart glasses have been around for more than a decade, but might just be hitting their stride now \u2013 and the market is quickly growing, with some analysts predicting a 1,800-per-cent jump in users by 2040. Features have improved, many styles can be fitted with prescription lenses and the convenience of taking photos or calls on-the-go without taking out a phone is increasingly enticing. Think about snapping photos at an outdoor music festival with the sunglasses on your head, or capturing a family celebration while still being in the moment. <\/p>\n

\u201cNow the technology is really expanding,\u201d says Gillian Martin, the director and category general manager of gaming, VR, digital imaging and drones at Best Buy Canada. There are more stylish designs available, with improved cameras and even artificial intelligence features built-in. \u201cThe AI piece allows you to ask questions without pulling your phone out of your pocket,\u201d says Martin, adding that she has also used her glasses to translate signs in a foreign language while travelling. <\/p>\n

The tech is cool \u2013 just tread politely in society if you decide to give them a try.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhysically, it is important to respect \u2018no-camera\u2019 zones like locker rooms or doctors\u2019 offices by powering the device off entirely, and you should perform regular storage audits to delete synced media from your phone gallery,\u201d says Alex Ferworn, a professor in the department of computer science at Toronto Metropolitan University. He suggests practising \u201csocial etiquette by informing those around you that your glasses have recording capabilities.\u201d <\/p>\n

With AI-powered styles, you may want to opt out of \u201cproduct improvement\u201d or AI training programs in the companion app \u201cwhich prevents the manufacturer from using your private photos and voice commands to refine their models,\u201d says Ferworn. \u201cYou should also disable \u2018always-on\u2019 wake words in favour of a physical button-press to trigger the AI, ensuring the microphone isn\u2019t inadvertently capturing sensitive background conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are positives to this tech beyond being a buzzy gadget. Some people with vision loss are using AI-powered glasses to help with things like colour recognition.<\/p>\n

To choose the right pair, start by thinking about what you\u2019ll be using them for and doing research to understand the key functions you need. \u201cAnything where it\u2019s expanding that feature set, the price is going to go up,\u201d says Martin. <\/p>\n

There are two streams of smart glasses available: everyday lifestyle glasses that could incorporate a prescription and might include features such as AI functions, a camera, audio and fitness tracking; and productivity-focused styles, which function as extended displays for streaming or gaming. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need maybe as high-end a pair if you\u2019re using them for every day just walking around and listening to music or listening to a podcast,\u201d says Martin. \u201cVersus if you are going to be using them for fitness, make sure they are water-resistant, that they do have maybe an extended battery life.\u201d You can add a prescription to most smart glasses on the market, but not all, so that\u2019s another consideration. <\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve narrowed down the options, see if you can try on the contenders in-person or at least virtually. You want to ensure that they feel comfortable, fit your face and nose bridge, and are not too heavy. <\/p>\n

Six buys to try
\n
TUTT M1
<\/p>\n

These ChatGPT-powered smart glasses by Toronto-based TUTT can answer queries and offer live translation in dozens of languages. There\u2019s an eight-megapixel camera for photos and videos and a noise-reducing microphone.<\/p>\n

Buying options
$350 from Best Buy<\/a>
$229 from Amazon<\/a>
Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer \u2013 Gen 2
<\/p>\n

Part of the second generation of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, these prescription-compatible Wayfarers can take photos and videos and play music and podcasts. You can make calls and send messages, ask for information and even have it describe or translate what you\u2019re seeing.<\/p>\n

Buying options
$609 from Ray-Ban<\/a>
$520 from Amazon<\/a>
Oakley Meta Vanguard
<\/p>\n

Designed for movement, these sporty AI smart glasses are resistant to sweat, dust and water, and compatible with Garmin devices and the Strava platform. There\u2019s an ultrawide 12-megapixel camera that can capture videos in sharper 3K resolution so you can record and share your workout point of view with ease.<\/p>\n

Buying options
$679 from Oakley<\/a>
$679 from Amazon<\/a>
Even Realities G2
<\/p>\n

Available in two shapes and three frame colours, these AI-powered-display smart glasses feature titanium temples and magnesium frames for strength and durability. They also boast a two-day battery life and are dust- and water-resistant. Available in-store at Glass Monocle locations in Toronto.<\/p>\n

Buying options
$822, buy at evenrealities.com<\/a>
ASUS AirVision M1
<\/p>\n

Designed for both work and gaming, these immersive, high-performance display glasses are prescription-compatible and can support multiscreen setups. They also have built-in speakers and a noise-cancelling microphone.<\/p>\n

Buying options
$999 from Asus<\/a>
$999 from Amazon<\/a>
Reebok Powered by Lucyd Nitrous Shift
<\/p>\n

A collaboration between Reebok and smart eyewear company Lucyd, these glasses offer UV400 protection and feature photochromic lenses that can transition from clear to tinted. With them, you can take calls, listen to music and even send voice memos on the go.<\/p>\n

Buying options
$226 from Amazon<\/a>
$207 from Lucyd<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Smart glasses have been around for more than a decade, but might just…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":505264,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1397,49,48,28501,2922,61],"class_list":["post-505263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-appwebview","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-lf-gr","tag-noastack","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/505263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=505263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/505263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/505264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=505263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=505263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=505263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}