Meta bought part of Ray-Ban and is doubling down on its bet on AI-powered glasses.

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, spent US$ 3.5 billion to acquire nearly 3% of EssilorLuxottica, the giant behind Ray-Ban and Oakley.

The move aims to strengthen its development strategy in artificial intelligence glasses, a key pillar of the technological future driven by Mark Zuckerberg.

An investment to gain ground in hardware

Meta acquired a minority stake in EssilorLuxottica, the world's largest eyewear manufacturer. According to sources close to the negotiation, the deal is around €3,000 million (equivalent to US$ 3.5 billion).

The idea would be to increase that stake to 5%, although there is currently no official confirmation from either party.

An alliance that is already bearing fruit

For years, Meta and EssilorLuxottica have been working together to launch AI-powered glasses. The Ray-Ban Smart Glasses line already includes features such as cameras and smart assistants.

In addition, they recently launched new models under the Oakley brand, following the same line of innovation.

Meta seeks to control the entire ecosystem

Zuckerberg's company is strengthening its plan to develop its own devices, without relying on third parties as is the case with smartphones.

They are aiming for a future where users interact with their work or leisure environments through connected glasses.

Benefits for both companies

Meta gains access to EssilorLuxottica's industrial and commercial expertise. This allows it to move toward global-scale production of smart hardware.

Meanwhile, EssilorLuxottica secures a strategic position within the technology universe, betting on the growth of AI and the wearable market.