Baidu set to unveil AI smart glasses to rival Meta Ray-Bans – report

Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) is planning to showcase its new smart glasses with a built-in AI assistant at its annual Baidu World event in Shanghai next week, a source told Bloomberg, as it looks to compete with Meta’s (NASDAQ:META) Ray-Bans.

The Chinese search giant’s smart glasses will feature cameras and support for voice interactions built atop its AI model Ernie. The smart glasses will also connect to other services like Baidu Maps and Baike (Chinese equivalent to Wikipedia).

The glasses are expected to be cheaper than Meta’s (META) $299 Ray-Bans, and sales could start early next year.

The new product comes at a time when Meta’s (META) smart glasses, designed in partnership with Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica (OTCPK:ESLOF), have been growing in popularity.

In a recent earnings call, EssilorLuxottica (OTCPK:ESLOF) CFO Stefano Grassi noted that Ray-Ban Meta is the bestseller “in 60% of the Ray-Ban stores in Europe, in EMEA.”

Apple (AAPL) is also said to be eyeing smart glasses amid their rising popularity, and has begun an internal study of products currently on the market.