Meta investiert Milliarden in EssilorLuxottica für intelligente Brillen

Meta has reportedly invested around 3 billion euros in EssilorLuxottica, the world's largest eyewear manufacturer, acquiring a 3% stake in the company. The investment aims to enhance Meta's presence in the smart glasses market, which the company has been developing with EssilorLuxottica since 2021. The deal provides Meta with access to EssilorLuxottica's manufacturing expertise and global distribution networks, crucial for the mass production of smart glasses.

Meta has reportedly invested around €3 billion in EssilorLuxottica, the world's largest eyewear manufacturer, acquiring a 3% stake in the company. This significant investment aims to enhance Meta's presence in the smart glasses market, which the company has been developing with EssilorLuxottica since 2021. The deal provides Meta with access to EssilorLuxottica's manufacturing expertise and global distribution networks, crucial for the mass production of smart glasses [1].

The investment comes as Meta continues to push its AI-powered wearable technology, with the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses selling millions of units since their launch. The Oakley Meta HSTN line, targeting athletes with advanced features, is another indicator of Meta's expanding wearable ambitions. By focusing on smart glasses, Meta can build a user base and refine its AI capabilities in the real world, sidestepping the production hurdles of full AR headsets [1].

The deal also underscores Meta's aggressive talent acquisition strategy. The company has been actively poaching top AI researchers from competitors like Apple and OpenAI, aiming to consolidate its AI development efforts. This strategy has intensified the competition in the AI and wearable tech sectors, with other companies feeling the pressure to retain their talent and innovate [1].

However, the investment and talent war come with their own set of challenges. Meta faces persistent privacy questions, as demonstrated by the 'I-XRAY' project, which used smart glasses for facial recognition. The company must now balance aggressive innovation with building a foundation of trust that is as durable as the wearable frames themselves [1].

The reported deal is part of a broader strategy for Meta to establish wearable hardware as a primary platform for delivering its AI capabilities to consumers. This investment marks a significant milestone in Meta's quest to turn glasses into the next major technology platform, making them fashionable and functional [2].

References:
[1] https://winbuzzer.com/2025/07/09/meta-invests-3-5-billion-in-ray-ban-parent-essilorluxottica-to-fuel-ai-glasses-push-xcxwbn/
[2] https://www.pymnts.com/news/wearables/2025/meta-reportedly-buys-3-stake-in-smart-glasses-partner-essilorluxottica/