Will the Next Great Divide Be Between Those Who Wear AI — and Those Who Don’t?
The way we think, work, and connect could soon depend on something as small as a pair of glasses. As Meta readies its $1,000 AI-powered augmented reality (AR) eyewear for release, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is issuing an unusually stark warning: those who don’t adopt this technology may find themselves at a “cognitive disadvantage” in the years ahead.
From Metaverse Dream to AR Reality
Meta’s upcoming Hypernova glasses represent the company’s boldest wearable gamble yet — and the latest milestone in a decade-long immersion into VR and AR that began with its $2 billion purchase of Oculus in 2014.
That journey hasn’t been cheap. Reality Labs, the division behind Meta’s immersive technologies, has racked up losses approaching $70 billion since 2020. The Metaverse hype wave may have ebbed, but Zuckerberg is betting that AR, not VR, will become the true gateway to the next era of computing.
How Hypernova Works
According to Bloomberg, the first-generation Hypernova will feature a discreet monocular display embedded in the lower right lens. This tiny screen can display messages, pull up apps like WhatsApp and Messenger, or even take photos — all without the user ever touching a phone.
A second-generation version is already on Meta’s drawing board, promising a binocular display for a more immersive experience, blending digital and physical realities seamlessly.
A High-Tech Filter for the World
To Zuckerberg, AR glasses are more than just a new gadget. They’re a new interface for artificial intelligence itself — one that can “see” and “hear” everything the wearer experiences and respond in real time.
“I think in the future, if you don’t have glasses with AI — or some way to interact with AI — you’re probably going to face a significant cognitive disadvantage compared to others,” he told investors during Meta’s Q2 earnings call.
He envisions future models unlocking holographic projections, hyper-detailed overlays, and everyday applications so seamless that checking a message will be as subtle as glancing to the side.
The Price of Staying Ahead
For now, that future comes with a $1,000 price tag — and a leap of faith that AI wearables will actually deliver on their promise. Reality Labs lost $4.53 billion in Q2 alone, but Meta’s investment is unshaken.
“This has been the focus of Reality Labs over the past 5 to 10 years — researching all these possibilities,” Zuckerberg said. “Glasses will become the ideal way to merge physical and digital realities, and AI will accelerate that process, making the Metaverse more important than ever.”
Conclusion
Meta’s Hypernova launch isn’t just another product release — it’s a declaration of where the company believes human-computer interaction is headed. If Zuckerberg’s prediction holds true, AR glasses could become as essential as smartphones, dividing the world into those who integrate AI into their vision — and those watching from the outside.