Lorde criticizes AI smart glasses during Madrid festival set
The singer told fans at Real Cool Festival not to buy AI glasses, while Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses face privacy scrutiny.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Lorde used part of her set at Madrid’s Real Cool Festival on Thursday to criticize AI-enabled smart glasses, according to The Verge. Her comments put a pop-culture spotlight on a wearable category already drawing questions over privacy and recording.
Videos shared on social media showed Lorde addressing the crowd after thanking fans for attending and taking part in “something real,” The Verge reported. She then said it was becoming harder to tell what was real around people using new technology.
“You don’t know if someone is wearing sunglasses or if they’re wearing those fucked up fucking…” Lorde said in the video, before adding, “Can I just say, for the record, fuck the glasses. Don’t get the glasses. Not sexy.”
Lorde did not identify a company or product by name, The Verge reported. The publication said the remark appeared aimed at Ray-Ban, a sponsor of the festival that has partnered with Meta on AI smart glasses.
Ray-Ban Meta connection
Ray-Ban and Meta have collaborated on smart glasses that bring AI features into eyewear, according to The Verge. The devices sit at the center of wider debate over camera-equipped wearables and how easily people nearby can tell when they are being recorded.
The Verge reported that Meta has faced renewed scrutiny over its smart glasses, including privacy concerns tied to surveillance and facial recognition. The publication also reported that Meta is still said to be preparing “super sensing” glasses that would record continuously.
Lorde’s comments came during a festival where Ray-Ban’s presence extended beyond sponsorship, according to Stereogum. Stereogum reported that Blackpink’s Jennie followed Lorde on stage and is a Ray-Ban Meta AI ambassador.
Jennie has appeared in Ray-Ban Meta advertising on Instagram and in a video shown between sets at Real Cool, according to Stereogum and The Verge. That placement gave Lorde’s remarks an added edge because they were delivered at an event where the brand’s AI eyewear was being promoted.
A brief onstage rebuke
The moment appeared to last only a short part of Lorde’s performance, based on the videos cited by The Verge. The singer framed her complaint around the difficulty of knowing whether ordinary-looking sunglasses might also be AI devices.
The Verge described the comments as a pointed criticism of AI glasses rather than a detailed argument about the technology. Lorde’s language focused on rejecting the product and discouraging fans from buying it.
Meta and Ray-Ban were not reported by The Verge as responding to Lorde’s remarks. The episode adds a high-profile musician’s voice to public criticism of smart glasses as tech companies continue to push AI features into consumer devices.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.