Meta Revisits Facial Recognition Technology for Wearable Devices

According toThe New York Times, Meta Platforms is considering integrating a feature internally known as “Name Tag” into its wearable devices. The system would allow users to identify people they see through the glasses and pull up relevant information via Meta’s AI assistant. This is not the first time Meta has considered facial recognition in wearables. Back in 2021, the company explored adding similar capabilities to its first-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses, produced in partnership with EssilorLuxottica. At the time, technical limitations and ethical concerns reportedly led to the idea being scrapped. Now, with improved AI capabilities and strong consumer adoption, more than seven million units of Meta’s smart glasses were sold last year. The company appears to be revisiting the concept. Internal documents cited by The New York Times suggest executives even weighed the political timing of a rollout, noting that launching during a turbulent period in U.S. politics could reduce coordinated backlash from civil society groups.