Meta updates AI smart glasses to amplify conversations in noisy settings

Meta has rolled out a new software update for its AI-powered smart glasses that enables wearers to hear conversations more clearly in noisy environments, the company announced on Tuesday. The update will initially be available on Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses in the United States and Canada, Meta stated.

The update also introduces a new Spotify integration that allows users to play music based on what they are looking at. For instance, if a user looks at an album cover, the glasses can play a song by the same artist, while looking at festive décor such as a Christmas tree could prompt holiday music. While largely positioned as an experiential feature, the addition highlights Meta’s broader push to connect visual context with app-based actions, as per a report by TechCrunch.

The more significant enhancement is the conversation-focus feature, which was first unveiled at Meta’s Connect conference earlier this year. The feature uses the smart glasses’ open-ear speakers to amplify the voice of the person the wearer is speaking with, helping reduce background noise in crowded environments. Meta informed that users will be able to adjust the level of amplification by swiping the right temple of the glasses or through device settings, allowing customisation depending on surroundings such as busy restaurants, bars, clubs or commuter trains.

The effectiveness of the feature will be assessed as it reaches users, though Meta’s move aligns with a broader industry trend of using consumer smart devices to support hearing assistance. Apple’s AirPods already include a Conversation Boost feature, and its Pro models recently added support for a clinical-grade hearing aid function.

While the conversation-focus feature is currently limited to the US and Canada, the Spotify visual-matching feature will be available in English across a wider set of markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US.

The software update, version 21, will first be rolled out to users enrolled in Meta’s Early Access Programme, which requires joining a waitlist and receiving approval, before becoming available more broadly.