Wearable gadgets are smarter, cuter and boast more features than ever, thanks to artificial intelligence. While existing devices get a boost from AI, others are fanning out to stake their claim in other anatomical territory.
Some people may recoil at the thought of donning a bot as they go about their business — and there are good reasons for that, from concerning AI hallucinations to privacy issues — but that’s not dampening enthusiasm for the concept. In fact, Grand View Research, which pegs the AI wearables market at $62.7 billion this year, expects it to more than double to $138.5 billion by 2029.
When it comes to product categories, features and aesthetics, the options are broad and expanding fast. Wearable AI pins seem to be all the rage among some start-ups, and there’s some argument for that, with the brooch comeback on recent runways. Too bad most of them fundamentally fail at either fashion, function or both. (Just ask the much-hyped, but ultimately disappointing Humane Ai Pin, a wearable that aimed directly at tastemakers during Paris Fashion Week last year, only to crash and burn amid devastating device reviews this spring.)
Now the race is afoot to figure out what people actually want. Here are a few examples that grabbed WWD’s attention across eyewear, rings and other things.
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Ray-Bans by Meta
Meta’s partnership with eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica has produced a range of camera-, speaker- and mic-equipped Wayfarers and other models. Then 2024 brought major updates, including more styles — we like Skyler, the latest cat-eye frame — new colors plus livestream capabilities and new features, courtesy of Meta AI.
The chatbot can now dish contextually aware information, language translations and even styling advice. “Seeing” through the itty-bitty-yet-impressive shooters, Meta AI can look at a shirt and explain what goes with it. Future AR glasses, which could let people virtually try on the looks too, are in the works. The effort would get a boost if Meta takes a stake in Luxxottica, as recent reports suggest.
Price: Starts at $299
Oura Ring
Whenever tech talk turns to smart rings, Oura is usually at or near the top of the list, thanks to sleek styling, long battery life and well-thought-out features. Because it doesn’t just track health, fitness and wellness — including sleep, stress and menstrual cycles — it helps make sense of the data and gives targeted advice, so people can take action.
Then in July, AI made it even smarter. The new Oura Advisor amounts to a 24-7 health coach that follows the wearer’s habits, even through life changes, as well as answer questions. The result is a tailored support system of “personalized insights, recommendations and encouragement,” according to the company.
Price: Starts at $299, not including subscription ($5.99 monthly or $69.99 yearly)
Galaxy Ring
The main thing to know about Samsung’s very first smart ring is just that: This is a first-generation device from a big tech company known for big swings. Here, that translates to a premium wearable, with a premium price tag. The high quality is tangible — from the excellent construction of the titanium body to the slim profile, which feels slightly thinner than the Oura. There’s even a clear, “jewel box” charging case.
Things get less precious with functionality. The ring’s data tracking, accuracy and full platform integration need work. Software updates can fix a lot of this, and since Galaxy AI powers the insights, it will learn over time. There’s also no subscription fee, which can take the sting out of waiting. But really, this ring is for early adopters (with compatible Galaxy smartphones) willing or excited to watch the tech grow up.
Price: $399
The Friend
If people find an unassuming puck design charming, it would be fitting for a wearable that just wants to be everyone’s buddy. But for The Friend, specifically, a disarming vibe is crucial. Because, as an always-listening AI wearable, it’s already creeping people out (including the tech press). And it hasn’t even shipped yet.
Ultimately, The Friend is a companionship bot, with interactions that mimic the feel of texting with a pal. Tap a button, and the AI sends casual, friendly or supportive remarks to the phone based on the wearer’s activity, environment or anything else it gleans about the person’s real-time situation. That’s it. It’s a simple premise, but the device has still drawn plenty of heat, from privacy concerns to the idea that AI could fill in for human friendship.
It can’t help you move or share a salad, of course. It just listens and interacts — which, it turns out, are exactly what loads of people are painfully missing in the digital age. A 2023 Meta-Gallup survey revealed a loneliness epidemic that affects one in four adults worldwide. It’s worse in the U.S., hitting one in two adults, according to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
So is The Friend creepy, like someone took the Spike Jonze film “Her” way too seriously, or is it helpful? Maybe it’s both. Or neither. Whatever else it is, however, it is clearly a sign of the times, in multiple ways. This is tech taking aim at a problem that it probably helped create, and a show of humanity’s ambition — and unease — with AI. That’s a lot packed into one little puck.
Price: $99, ships January 2025
Limitless Pendant
By snapping this magnetic clip-on onto a garment, professionals can offload the drudgery of taking meeting notes with their very own AI “memory assistant.” Of course, it can’t do the job if it’s left at home or shoved in a drawer because people are too embarrassed to wear it. Limitless understood this early on, which is why it enlisted Ammunition, the industrial design mastermind behind Beats by Dr. Dre.
The device may have been built for business — as an AI tool to capture conversations and suggest actions based what’s said — but that doesn’t mean it has to look stuffy. Ammunition understood the assignment. Its handiwork shows up in the brushed aluminum circles, simple clamshell design, colors and modern design that would work everywhere from corporate to creative settings.
Price: $99
Cudis Smart Ring
BeatBit Wellness Labs wants to topple Oura in health, wellness and AI coaching with a physical device born out of the digital generation, especially the Web 3.0 set or gamers. As a blockchain-based smart ring, Cudis would be right at home on an avatar’s finger. Although its angular ceramic detailing and titanium base feels a bit chunkier than the Oura, there’s an unexpected delight, especially for the fidgety, with a center band that twists and rotates.
Thanks to blockchain, BeatBit protects users’ wellness information like a digital Fort Knox, but the data, which is encrypted and anonymized, can still benefit worldwide research and train AI health models. If philanthropy isn’t enough motivation, maybe health coaching via ChatGPT is, along with a rewards system, so people can monetize their own data and get premium features without extra fees.
Price: 1.5 SOL on the Solana Blockchain, or $269 USD
Lucyd Eyewear
In 2024, Innovative Eyewear, maker of the Lucyd line of bluetooth audio glasses, has been taking the concept of AI eyeglasses directly to the fashion industry — and household names like Nautica, Eddie Bauer and Reebok are answering the call.
The big difference between these and Meta’s facewear is the lack of camera, as Lucyd-powered spectacles are designed for personal audio only. Think features like taking calls, playing music and conjuring Google Assistant or Siri, as well as accessing ChatGPT via voice. Turns out, the omission is a feature, not a bug, because it allows Lucyd to easily change out the central face plate and offer a huge range of frame styles — even metal aviator rims.
The arms are a little chunky, as is the case with Meta’s wearable, though on the Ray-Bans, it’s in service of a bit better audio quality. However, from the front, Lucyd’s eyeglasses are virtually indistinguishable from regular eyewear. That’s a huge win. Nautica and Eddie Bauer smart glasses began shipping earlier this year, and Reebok is expected sometime between October and December.
Price: Nautica models start at $199, Eddie Bauer styles start at $249
