Meta limits free use of AI glasses feature, introduces paywall

Meta has begun charging a monthly fee for a feature on its AI smart glasses that was previously available for free. Users will now have to pay $19.99 per month to access "Conversation Focus" – a function utilizing the glasses' microphones to help users hear conversations more clearly – beyond three hours of monthly use.

According to Meta, users who exceed this free monthly limit will have to wait for the next calendar month for their free hours to reset unless they subscribe. The social media giant declined to provide a direct statement, but a spokesperson indicated this move is part of Meta's ongoing experiments with offering subscription tiers for certain features while keeping core services free. The company had previously announced plans in January to test premium subscription models across its platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed that users of its glasses will still have access to other built-in AI features, such as live translation and its voice assistant, without needing a subscription. Meta states on its help pages that "all AI glasses owners get free monthly usage for certain features." Subscribers to the Meta One Premium tier will be able to use Conversation Focus for up to 15 hours each month. Subscriptions for Meta One are not currently available in all countries, including the UK.

Meta asserts that the majority of its glasses users will not be significantly impacted by the change, positioning the subscription as intended for "power users" seeking expanded access and additional benefits like premium device support. The "Conversation Focus" feature is also not yet available to Meta glasses owners in the UK. The introduction of a paywall for a feature previously promoted for its accessibility benefits has drawn criticism from some users.