Google is vigorously advancing several artificial intelligence initiatives, with Project Astra standing out as a particularly noteworthy endeavor that encapsulates the company’s vision for virtual assistants. During this spring’s Google I/O event, Google unveiled the first demonstration of this all-encompassing, multimodal virtual assistant. Project Astra is designed to serve as an omnipresent aide integrated seamlessly into everyday life. While still in the transition between "conceptual videos" and "early prototypes," the project marks Google’s most ambitious venture into the AI landscape to date.
The element of smart glasses featured prominently in Project Astra’s demonstration. Over the years, Google has been developing various forms of smart eyewear, ranging from Google Glass to Cardboard, and two years ago, the Project Iris translation glasses. Earlier this year, a Google spokesperson merely referred to these glasses as “functional research prototypes.”
Recently, at a media briefing ahead of the Gemini 2.0 launch, Bibo Xu, Product Manager at Google DeepMind, revealed that a team would be testing Project Astra on prototype glasses, considering eyewear to be one of the most powerful and intuitive mediums for experiencing this AI technology. This team is part of Google’s “Trusted Tester” program, which typically has access to these early prototypes, many of which never see public release. Some testers will access Astra via Android smartphones, while others will utilize the smart glasses.
When asked about the eyewear products, Xu stated, “We will have more news soon regarding the glasses themselves.” Does this imply that Google’s smart glasses are imminent? It’s not certain yet. However, it does indicate that Google is incorporating hardware considerations into its Project Astra plans.
For Google’s endeavors with Project Astra, smart glasses undoubtedly present an optimal choice. Integrating audio, video, and displays is most effectively achieved through a face-worn device, particularly when aiming for an always-on capability. In a video showcasing Astra’s integration with Gemini 2.0, a tester used Astra to memorize the security code for an apartment building, check the weather, and in one instance, observed a speeding bus and asked Astra, “Will that bus take me near Chinatown?” While such tasks can also be performed on a smartphone, executing them via a wearable device feels more seamless.
Currently, smart glasses, including Google's and Meta’s Orion, remain largely in the conceptual phase. It is still unclear when or if they will be launched, or what their quality will be like. Nevertheless, Google is taking the development of smart glasses seriously, signaling an equal emphasis on the production of the eyewear itself.
