Meta Reportedly Developing AI Pendant Amidst Wearables Push

Meta is reportedly embarking on an ambitious project to develop an AI-powered pendant, with plans to commence testing the device within the next year. This development, revealed in a memo viewed by The Information, signals a significant push by the tech giant into the burgeoning market of smart wearables, aiming to integrate artificial intelligence directly into users' daily lives. The initiative appears to build directly on Meta's strategic acquisition of Limitless, an AI device startup, at the close of 2025. Limitless was known for its own AI pendant, designed to be worn as a necklace or attached to clothing, capable of recording user conversations. At the time of the acquisition, Meta explicitly stated its intention to "accelerate our work to build AI-enabled wearables," underscoring the long-term vision behind such devices. The path for AI wearables has not been smooth, with previous iterations struggling to gain traction among mainstream consumers. Factors such as lingering privacy concerns, perceived lack of utility, or even misjudged marketing strategies have often hindered their widespread adoption. Despite these historical challenges, major players like OpenAI continue to explore and invest in the potential of such devices, indicating a belief in their eventual breakthrough. Beyond the pendant, the internal memo also outlines Meta's broader strategy to expand its existing lineup of AI glasses. Furthermore, the company is reportedly planning to introduce a new business subscription service dubbed "Wearables for Work." These combined efforts suggest a multi-pronged approach to establish a stronger foothold in the wearables sector, targeting both individual consumers and enterprise clients. Critically, these hardware ambitions are set against the backdrop of significant financial pressures on Meta's Reality Labs division, which is responsible for its hardware ventures. The division recorded a substantial loss of $4 billion in the first quarter of this year alone. By diversifying its product offerings and enhancing their AI capabilities, Meta is evidently hoping to reverse these fortunes and solidify its position as a leader in the next generation of personal computing devices. TechCrunch has reached out to Meta for comment regarding these reported plans.