Skip to main content

OpenAI CEO Says He Doesn't Like Smart Glasses, Meta Gets a Break

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has made it clear he's not a fan of smart glasses. In a recent interview on Alex Heath's "Sources Podcast," Altman said it's "very uncomfortable" to talk to someone who's wearing a camera and lights on their face. That's a direct message to Mark Zuckerberg: Meta doesn't have to worry about OpenAI stealing its smart glasses thunder—at least for now.

Altman's dislike for smart glasses isn't new. At last year's Sun Valley Summit, a reporter asked if the sunglasses he was wearing were smart glasses. His response was quick and firm: "Absolutely not, I don't like smart glasses."

Meta, on the other hand, is all in on smart glasses. While the company doesn't break out glasses revenue separately, it's been saying in earnings calls that AI glasses sales are helping offset the slowdown in Quest headset sales. In July, Meta reported that its Reality Labs division—which includes consumer hardware—pulled in $431 million in the second quarter of 2026, up $61 million from the year before.

But with great glasses come great privacy concerns. Some places have already announced plans to ban customers from wearing smart glasses, and Meta has been doing damage control. Instagram has promised to crack down on people using glasses to secretly film others, but there's still room for improvement.

So what's OpenAI cooking up with Jony Ive, the legendary iPhone designer? Altman didn't spill all the beans, but he gave a hint: "I think some things are suitable for being placed on a desk, some are suitable for being put in your pocket, and some are suitable for being worn on your body. We will take some time to release them one by one."

Rumors have it that the device, codenamed "Sweet Pea," is an AI voice interaction gadget. Altman's comments suggest it won't be glasses—maybe something you set on your desk or slip into your pocket.

Key Points

  • Altman's stance: He doesn't like smart glasses, finds them uncomfortable for conversation.
  • Meta's position: Smart glasses are a growing business, offsetting Quest headset declines.
  • Privacy issues: Smart glasses raise privacy concerns, leading to bans and crackdowns.
  • OpenAI's device: Likely not glasses, but a different form factor, released in stages.