Meta Platforms and EssilorLuxottica are in talks to potentially double production capacity for AI-powered smart glasses, seeking to capture growing demand and limit competitive pressure, according to people familiar with the discussions, as reported by Bloomberg.
With sales of Ray-Ban Meta frames gaining traction, Meta has proposed lifting annual capacity to 20 million units or more by the end of 2026. The partners have also discussed the ability to scale beyond 30 million units if demand supports further expansion, though no final decision has been made. EssilorLuxottica is already approaching its current target of 10 million pairs in annual capacity.
The discussions highlight Meta’s strategy to extend artificial intelligence into hardware it can control end to end, reducing reliance on smartphones built by competitors. Meta owns about a 3% stake in EssilorLuxottica and has partnered with the eyewear group since 2019. The companies launched Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2021 and introduced a $799 display-enabled model in the U.S. last year, with international expansion recently paused due to limited inventory.
The potential capacity increase aligns with broader market momentum, as industry researchers forecast AI smart glasses revenue to quadruple in 2026, driven by Ray-Ban Meta and anticipated entries from Apple and Samsung.
