At the Meta Connect 2025 developers conference in Menlo Park, California, Mark Zuckerberg attempted to showcase his company’s new AI-enabled smart glasses, the Ray-Ban Meta Display. The demonstration did not proceed smoothly, as Zuckerberg struggled multiple times to initiate a video call with a colleague, prompting him to say, “I don’t know what to tell you guys.” Despite the initial enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the event, technical difficulties overshadowed the demonstration.
Zuckerberg opened the presentation with music and a display from the glasses, engaging the audience with gestures and messages of enthusiasm from viewers. He emphasized the need for attractive technology and mentioned the importance of AI. He posited that AI should serve humanity, not merely automate tasks in data centers.
During a live demonstration with chef Jack Mancuso, an AI system provided responses that did not seem to effectively assist in the cooking process. This raised questions about the reliability of the AI technology being presented. After the chef indicated potential Wi-Fi issues, Zuckerberg maintained his composure but acknowledged the irony of technical failures occurring during a showcase of advanced technology.
Live demos of AI technology often encounter unexpected problems, as evidenced by similar incidents from other tech companies like Google. In one instance, Google’s translation feature experienced a malfunction shortly after being presented. Despite these setbacks, the failures observed during Zuckerberg’s presentation raise ongoing discussions about the practicality and readiness of such technology for consumer use.
As Zuckerberg continued to grapple with the demonstration, it became clear that the event might evoke skepticism regarding the relevance of the AI tools being developed. As consumer technology evolves, observers are left questioning whether these innovations effectively address real-world needs or merely create solutions in search of problems.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/27/zuckerberg-ai-glasses-fail