Lorde told an audience at the Mad Cool Festival in Madrid last week that AI glasses are not sexy.
She did not mince words during the set, calling the devices “f–ed up” and telling fans to forget them entirely. The pop star noted that it is increasingly difficult to tell if someone is wearing standard sunglasses or the controversial smart eyewear.
Her comments come after Ray-Bon, a festival sponsor, partnered with Meta to produce the hardware. Lorde performed immediately before Jennie, a brand ambassador for the Ray-Ban x Meta smart glasses line.
Security experts have flagged the technology as a privacy nightmare. While Meta claims to include safeguards like a visible recording light, the company faces numerous investigations and lawsuits. One legal challenge alleges that Kenyan contract workers were forced to view graphic videos captured by the glasses to train Meta’s artificial intelligence. Meta has not publicly detailed its response to that specific accusation.
These concerns have not halted sales. EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban, reported selling more than 7 million Meta AI glasses in 2025. That figure represents more than triple the roughly 2 million units sold in 2023 and 2024 combined. The popularity of the product line has led Meta to expand its offerings further.
While privacy issues persist, consumer interest remains high. Lorde suggested that vanity might be the only factor keeping people engaged with the device.
What it means
The artist’s stance highlights a growing cultural divide between the hype surrounding the hardware and public apprehension about surveillance. For creators and users, the implication is a choice between adopting the latest trend or rejecting the loss of anonymity in public spaces.
