At the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, the live launch of Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses hit turbulence. During demonstrations, the gadget’s AI assistant glitched, and the neural wristband’s gesture controls failed to impress. Mark Zuckerberg placed blame squarely on poor Wi-Fi performance.
In one live segment of the Meta Ray-Ban display demo, chef and content creator Jack Mancuso requested a Korean-style steak sauce recipe via the glasses. Instead of guiding step-by-step, the AI assistant offered responses out of order. It claimed ingredients had already been mixed, though they remained separate.
Repeated prompts from Mancuso failed to correct the AI. He paused and stated that connectivity must be flawed. Meta AI CEO Mark Zuckerberg echoed that claim loudly, admitting that the Wi-Fi wasn’t working to their advantage.
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Later, another demo showcased the neural wristband paired with the glasses. Mark Zuckerberg used gestures to send a message to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, which worked. Problems surfaced when Bosworth initiated a video call back. The call notification failed to register on Zuckerberg’s glasses. Gestures to pick up the call fell flat. Bosworth came on stage to help. Once more, Wi-Fi took the blame.
Critics and observers pointed out the irony: at a major tech event, years of development were undermined by connectivity. The Meta CTO later explained that some failures grew from unexpected network load. A version of the AI assistant triggered on many units at once. That pressure seemed to overwhelm internal systems.
Despite the Ray-Ban demo failure, the audience showed patience. Some functions worked well. Messaging using the wristband and the high-tech display on the glasses drew praise. The product still looks promising.
Still, the event was not all bad. The glasses impressed with a sharp built-in display, camera features, and gesture controls that worked during other parts of the demo. Meta AI said fixes are on the way before the official launch on September 30 in the US.
Technical glitches show the challenge of live demos and the weakness of always-on devices when the internet fails. Still, the tech giant is counting on the Meta Ray-Ban Display to prove itself, backed by strong public interest and early features.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses aim to reduce screen time by showing information directly in front of the eyes. But the demo highlighted how new wearable tech depends heavily on smooth software and a strong internet. The launch may still draw interest, yet the glitches raised doubts about whether the device is ready for wide use at its $799 price tag.