Smart glasses, rings, clip-ons and watches are moving from tracking to assistance, according to a new GlobalData report on AI and wearables. New AI-capable devices are launching almost weekly, the analyst firm said, making personal assistance one of the main new use cases for body-worn hardware.
Amanda Mitchell, Senior Analyst in GlobalData's Telecoms Practice, said depending on the device or AI agent, wearables can now book a flight, order groceries, dictate a thought or rewind part of a conversation.
The report lists a broad field. Apple, Google and Samsung are building AI assistance across phones, wrists and earbuds. Meta is extending its smart glasses towards a wider personal AI agent called Muse, while Oura and WHOOP focus on personalised health guidance. Amazon's Bee, worn on the wrist or clipped on, captures conversations and turns them into reminders.
Privacy is the cost. Smart glasses can record people who do not know they are being captured, and other devices can reach microphones, health data, email, calendars and conversations. Meta made the recording light on its smart glasses more tamper-resistant after consumer pressure, but Mitchell said the industry appears to be launching faster than it is making devices less invasive.
Regulators are starting to respond. In October the European Data Protection Board called for recording cues that are hard to miss and said manufacturers cannot shift privacy obligations onto wearers. Norway and Australia are among the countries introducing bans and restrictions.
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