Samsung, Google unveil AI-powered smart glasses as digital eyewear emerges as next computing frontier

Samsung Electronics unveiled its first AI-powered smart glasses made in partnership with Google on Tuesday, joining the race among tech companies to develop the next major computing platform after smartphones.

The companies introduced two smart glasses models based on Android XR, Google’s smart glasses and wearable device platform, during Google’s annual developer conference, Google I/O 2026, held in Mountain View, California, on Tuesday.

The unveiling marked the first time the companies revealed actual product designs after announcing plans last December to collaborate with global eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker.

One model featured Gentle Monster’s signature experimental aesthetic in a sunglasses-style design, while the other adopted Warby Parker’s more classic eyewear style.

Samsung and Google said they focused on integrating hardware for glasses with generative AI, combining the two to create smart glasses that users can wear with ease in everyday life.

The AI smart glasses are designed as companion devices that work alongside Galaxy AI smartphones. The frames are equipped with speakers, cameras and microphones that can recognize the user’s surroundings in real time and respond to voice commands.

Users can activate Google’s generative AI assistant Gemini for navigation, restaurant recommendations and real-time voice or text translation. Tasks such as summarizing messages on smartphones, scheduling appointments and taking photos can also be handled via voice commands.

Samsung Electronics plans to expand the generative AI experience beyond smartphones into wearable devices through its AI smart glasses.

Competition among Big Tech companies to dominate the next-generation AI platform market has intensified in recent years, particularly in the AI smart glasses sector.

Meta has already moved aggressively into the market through its smart glasses partnership with Ray-Ban. The company’s AI-powered glasses, which combine voice-controlled AI features with built-in cameras, have already drawn significant consumer attention.

Apple has also expanded into the broader immersive technology market with its mixed-reality (MR) headset, Apple Vision Pro, as part of its push into so-called spatial computing — technology that blends digital content with the physical world. Industry observers believe Apple is also developing lighter, more everyday-friendly AI smart glasses for future release.

Chinese tech companies are accelerating their own push into the sector. Xiaomi, Huawei and other firms are accelerating the development of next-generation smart glasses that integrate generative AI and XR, or extended reality.

AI smart glasses are increasingly likely to emerge as a new personal computing platform due to advancements in AI, lightweight batteries and semiconductor technologies, according to industry sources. However, battery life, comfort and affordability are still viewed as major hurdles to widespread adoption.

“This AI smart glasses project marks an important milestone in expanding Samsung’s AI vision,” said Jay Kim, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics’ mobile business division. “We will continue expanding the [Samsung] Galaxy ecosystem experience to deliver meaningful user experiences.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY PARK YOUNG-WOO [[email protected]]