Meta plans to add facial recognition to its smart glasses as soon as this year, according to a new report from The New York Times. The feature, internally known as “Name Tag,” would allow smart glasses wearers to identify people and get information about them through Meta’s AI assistant. Meta’s plans could still change, the report notes, as the company has been deliberating since early last year on how to release a feature that carries safety and privacy risks.
Feature And Internal Debate
According to an internal memo, Meta had originally planned to release Name Tag to attendees of a conference for the visually impaired before making it available to the public, but the company did not follow through with that plan. The memo shows executives weighing the risks of the technology while also looking for a controlled environment to test it before a broader rollout.
Timing And Political Context
The report says Meta viewed the current political climate in the United States as an opportunity to move forward. “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns,” the document reads. The company reportedly believes this timing could reduce immediate backlash from critics.
Background And Smart Glasses Push
Meta had considered adding facial recognition to the first version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2021 but dropped the idea due to technical challenges and ethical concerns. The New York Times reports that the company has since revived the plan following the unexpected success of its smart glasses and as the Trump administration has grown closer to Big Tech.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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