Kylie Jenner's Meta AI glasses have the internet split
Kylie Jenner’s Meta AI glasses are part fashion accessory, part wearable camera, and full-on internet debate.
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On Tuesday, Meta introduced a new line of Meta Glasses, including a Kylie Jenner-designed pair called the Meta Starfire Kylie Edition. The larger Meta Glasses line starts at $299, while the Kylie edition starts at $399. A version with Clear to Grey Transitions lenses is listed at $479.
The glasses are slim, oval-shaped sunglasses that look more like a chic accessory than a piece of wearable tech — which is very much the point.
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The Kylie edition includes Meta AI, hands-free photo and video capture, voice controls, open-ear audio, and a camera built into the frame, along with a few Jenner-specific touches: a gem accent, a mirrored charging case, adjustable nose pads, and a Kylie voice option for anyone who has ever wanted their sunglasses to "rise and shine."
Naturally, the internet had thoughts.
Some of the reaction has been about the marketing itself. On social media, users joked that Meta had found the right person to make wearable AI feel less like a Silicon Valley experiment and more like an It-girl accessory. One viral post put it plainly: "wow silicon valley finally figured out who controls consumer spending."
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Others applauded the launch, praising both the sleek design and buzzy campaign.
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Some found it hard to not compare the $399 Kylie glasses to Snap’s much pricier Specs, which were announced on June 16 and are available for preorder at $2,195. They also have quite different designs...
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Another side of the internet has been focusing less on the frames and more on the camera inside them. Users raised privacy concerns about camera-equipped glasses being marketed as everyday fashion.
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That became one of the bigger conversations around the launch. Some users questioned whether glasses with built-in cameras make recording in public less obvious than filming with a phone. Others brought up gyms, bars, schools, and other spaces where people may not expect someone’s sunglasses to also be a camera.
In the comments of one Instagram post about the glasses, one user wrote, "There is a guy that workouts at my gym with meta glasses on and he creeps me out every time I see him." Another wrote, "DONT BUY THESE." A different commenter said there was "zero chance" they would buy them before or after the "souped up marketing gig."
But not everyone cares about surveillance issues, apparently.
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Some users were less focused on the camera itself and more bothered by the idea of everyone walking around with AI on their face.
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For now, the Kylie edition is available through Meta and select retailers, including Best Buy, Amazon, Sunglass Hut, and LensCrafters. The base Kylie Starfire Edition starts at $399, while the Transitions-lens version is listed at $479.
Whether people are interested in the camera, the AI features, the Kylie voice, or just the look, the internet has already made one thing clear.
The glasses may be designed to blend in, but the reactions definitely have not.
Olivia Tauber is the deputy editor of digital culture, covering creators, media, movies, beauty, and more. Based in New York, her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Cut, Teen Vogue, Complex, and Interview Magazine. She holds a Master's degree in Journalism from NYU and a Bachelor's from the University of Michigan. She also runs Fan Mail, a weekly pop-culture newsletter.
