The expansion of AI-powered smart glasses marks a major industrial collaboration between Italy and the United States, bringing together Italian manufacturing excellence and American technological innovation. At the center of this effort is the partnership between EssilorLuxottica, the world’s largest eyewear group headquartered in Italy, and Meta, one of the leading U.S. technology companies.
The project focuses on smart glasses that combine traditional eyewear design with artificial intelligence capabilities developed in the United States. The devices allow users to capture photos and videos, interact with an AI assistant, and access digital information using voice commands. What makes the initiative distinctive is not just the technology itself, but the transatlantic structure behind it – Italian design and production working in tandem with American software and AI systems.
Production targets have grown rapidly as demand has exceeded initial expectations. Current plans aim for manufacturing capacity of about 10 million units per year by 2026, but internal projections are already considering an increase to 20 million units annually. In a more advanced phase, output could rise beyond 30 million units, placing AI glasses among the most widely produced consumer electronics devices globally.
Most of the industrial backbone of the project is rooted in Italy, where Luxottica operates major production facilities and oversees quality, materials, and logistics. This manufacturing network employs tens of thousands of workers and has decades of experience producing eyewear at scale. Meta’s role is centered in the United States, where its teams develop artificial intelligence models, voice recognition systems, and software platforms that power the glasses.
The collaboration reflects a broader shift in how advanced consumer technology is built. Rather than being developed entirely within Silicon Valley, AI hardware increasingly depends on partnerships with established industrial leaders. In this case, Italy’s eyewear tradition and the United States’ dominance in digital innovation intersect in a single product.
For both companies, the project represents a long-term strategic investment. It strengthens economic ties between Italy and the U.S. while positioning smart glasses as a potential successor to smartphones in everyday use. If production targets are met, the Meta–Luxottica alliance could become one of the most significant Italy–United States industrial collaborations of the decade.
