MENLO PARK, California: Meta Platforms and EssilorLuxottica on June 23 unveiled a new range of AI-powered smart glasses starting at US$299, expanding their push to bring artificial intelligence features to everyday wearable devices.

The new Meta Glasses are significantly cheaper than the $800 Ray-Ban Display glasses launched last year and are designed to broaden the appeal of the company's AI hardware.

Meta has invested billions of dollars in its pursuit of "personal intelligence", betting that advanced gadgets and electronics would bring the benefits of AI to individual users.

Although developed in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, the new glasses are the first in the partnership not to carry one of the eyewear company's established brands, such as Ray-Ban or Oakley.

The collection includes new colors and frame styles, including a rectangular design and a slim oval range created in partnership with media personality Kylie Jenner.

The devices are also Meta's first AI glasses to launch, powered by Meta AI and Muse Spark, the first model released by the company's Superintelligence Labs.

The announcement builds on the success of Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, which have helped establish the company as the leading player in a rapidly growing market for AI-enabled eyewear.

Global smart-glass shipments reached 9.6 million units last year, with Meta accounting for about 76.1 percent of total shipments, according to International Data Corporation.

Meta's growing presence in the sector has pushed other technology companies, including Google and Apple, to explore similar devices.

The new glasses were announced a week after Snap, the owner of Snapchat, launched augmented-reality glasses priced at $2,195.

Snap's device overlays digital content onto a user's view of the real world. Meta's glasses, by contrast, provide displays for text and AI interactions.