On June 23rd, Kylie Jenner and Meta AI announced a collaboration on a custom-made pair of “Starfire Kylie Edition” smart glasses, and it has already caused distress online.
The new Starfire glasses come in multiple lens colors: Clear, Chocolate, and Clear to Grey Transitions, starting at $399. They include an AI-powered Kylie Jenner voice that users can directly speak to through the glasses, along with built-in microphones and speakers that allow wearers to take calls and interact with Meta AI. The glasses also feature a micro-camera for capturing photos and videos, with Meta stating that an LED light indicates when recording is taking place. Despite these privacy features, many online are still calling the collaboration “an episode of Black Mirror.”
Beyond Black Mirror, many commenters have also compared the entire situation to George Orwell’s 1984, a dystopian novel centered around constant surveillance and the loss of privacy under “Big Brother.” While the comparison may be exaggerated, it speaks on an unease about wearable technology equipped with cameras, microphones, and AI assistants becoming part of everyday life.
The internet has split into two, one calling the collaboration dystopian, and the other already splitting 24-month payments for it. Following the concerns surrounding AI-powered fashion, Kylie has been under fire for using her influence to promote Meta’s latest hardware. Critics believe blending fashion with AI makes surveillance technology feel less intimidating and more socially acceptable, while supporters see the glasses as another step in the evolution of consumer technology.
Fans online are starting to do unfollowing sprees for Kylie Jenner and everyone else co-signing the brand deal, including Ariana Grande, who liked Kylie Jenner’s Instagram post wearing her Meta glasses while using her song “hate that i made you love me.” Fans are questioning celebrities they believe are helping promote Meta’s newest AI products.
Celebrity endorsements used to sell us makeup, handbags, and sneakers. Now they are selling us wearable AI. For every person calling the glasses dystopian, there’s another adding them to their wishlist. Either way, Kylie Jenner and Meta have everyone talking, and the conversation around AI, privacy, and influencer culture is only getting louder.