What meta glasses and visual AI mean for the next era of advertising

For many years, the discussions around advertising were mainly about screens. Conversations were about bigger screens, smaller screens, more personalised screens, mobile replacing desktop, video overtaking static, and others deciding who saw what based on algorithms. Still, by 2026, a more subtle and disruptive change is already taking place.

The process of advertising moving off from screens is starting.

Not in a way that is dramatic and science fiction-like, which was one of the hypothetical scenarios of the past, but in a less noisy and more utility-oriented manner. It is hard to believ,e but Smart glasses, that once upon a time were considered to be nothing but a prolonged attempt at sorting out the still-there concept of wearables, are finally finding their way and getting slowly, but surely, accepted in society. They are no longer just for technology enthusiasts. They are now becoming non-intrusiv,e everyday basic tools.

This transition is very important to the whole industry because it not only determines the ads' locations but also the way in which the ads' relevance is established.

From seeing screens to seeing through the screens

Smart glasses do not act like mobile phones. They don’t ask for your full attention. They are present in a very subtle way in your vision, and they wait for you. When information is needed, it is given; it is not like it is being summoned. That is a very big difference.

Let us consider the case where a person is walking along a city street, and he/she takes a look at a café. Instead of getting the phone out to check for reviews, hours, or menu, the information is just presented -- very quietly, in a contextually relevant way. Not everything -- only what is appropriate at the moment.

Visual AI technology makes such scenarios possible. It is not only aware of the user identity but also knows what the user is looking at. The change — from targeting by user identity to relevance based on the moment — marks the difference of this period.

The first signs are already pointing to the fact that people are prepared for it. Retail tracking data indicates that smart-glass sales increased significantly in 2025, which means that the interest is no longer the same as curiosity. Though adoption is not widespread yet, the growth in that area really matters. Advertising has always been taking the path of attention, and it seems that attention is beginning to raise its voice and look at the world beyond the screens.

A new canvas -- and a very different grammar

A new surface is presented by the developments in augmented reality for brands that are very different from any medium, like feeds, banners, or pre-rolls. A lived environment.

Unlike smartphones, glasses do not interrupt our lives but rather augment them. This creates an entirely new perception. A message that is projected in your visual field cannot be loud. It has to be part of it.

Think about the difference that it makes. A travel suggestion that pops up near a landmark. A subtle product cue when someone looks at a display. A styling hint when a reflection catches the eye. These are not ads that people switch off. They are rather seen as closer to help, even if there is a brand behind them.

Advertising in this context has moved from being a subtle persuasion to simply being there.

This situation is going to be an awkward one for the creative teams at first. The visual overlays are neither posters nor films. They are affected by a variety of factors, including movement, lighting, distance, and intent. The creative process for them will have to consider three dimensions - physical space, user context, and timing - and not just messaging.

This is the moment that is different from the past hype cycles

The introduction of smart glasses has been a recurring promise. The very first attempts that were made more than ten years ago could not make an impact, mainly because the technology was not yet ready, and the experience was perceived to be rather strained. The gadgets were heavy, the visuals were limited, and the application was vague. The utilisation of the device was like making a fashion statement rather than a choice.

That has changed.

The technology we have today is nothing less than extraordinary. The day was not far off when the ability to do heavy lifting was the major drawback on the visual AI side -- recognising objects, translating text, bringing up the background without constant supervision during the whole process. Battery life, comfort, and aesthetics have all made progress. In fact, these products are beginning to be like something people are willing to wear and not like something that is merely being tolerated.

Might it take time before they are that widely used? Perhaps it will, but advertising never gives up waiting for mass saturation to come so long time later. It takes the risk early, learns in silence, and expands when the change in human nature happens.

When advertising sees what you see

The main change is not about cutting off the existing channels. The channels of search, social, and video are not going to disappear. What is going to change is the source of the intent.

Until now, intent was deduced -- through queries, clicks, and previous actions. Visual AI introduces a new layer: the context of the moment. The very thing a person is viewing right at this instant.

That literally alters everything!

A sneaker that gets attention from passersby, a sneaker that is seen in a store's display, and a sneaker that is being worn by a friend are all three totally different moments. Visual AI could understand the three conditions and act differently for each one. The creative message is not only changing its location (placement), but also it is small and adaptive.

If executed perfectly, this will not be detected as being monitored. It will be regarded as assistance. On the contrary, if executed poorly, then it will be considered a violation of privacy. The boundary between the two will characterise this time.

The frictions advertisers are forced to live with

However, none of the above comes without risk. Privacy concerns are raised when it comes to wearable devices. Social relationships are altered when there are cameras that are always on, even if they are carefully designed. Consumers will demand absolute transparency regarding the entire scenario involving seen, stored, and shared.

The regulators will be keeping a close eye on the situation. Quite the same for the consumers. Trust will play a bigger role than being the first one in the market with cool and innovative things.

The other barrier is the learning curve in creativity. A good number of creative agencies are still not able to think in terms of three-dimensional spaces. Skills like overlay design, contextual timing, and even interaction logic are quite unfamiliar to many. The industry will need to not just plan for new media but also invest in new creative disciplines.

Another tough issue is the measurement of results. Wearable experiences cannot be directly correlated with clicks and impressions; they are too different. The newly created interest is behavioural – e.g. where the person is looking, how long he/she lingers, whether he/she acts at a later stage, etc. The metrics will change, but still, they won't be the most comfortable ones right away.

What 2026 really expects from brands

By 2026, there will be no query as to whether smart glasses have taken over the place of mobile phones. They haven’t. The main question will revolve around whether brands have indeed realised that attention has migrated outside rectangles.

This situation calls for both the virtues of ambition and the restraint of discretion. Brands that possess the ability to know when not to show up will be the ones to benefit from visual AI advertising. Contextual creativity is not referred to as ‘more messages’ but as ‘better timing’.

Ethics will not be a matter of choice. The companies that will manage to win trust are those who will be very transparent in the data they use, set up controls for opting in and relevance thresholds. The brands that go for visibility without being sensitive about it will be sure to reap their backlash soon.

Due to the fact that those who are running the experiments thoughtfully are going to be the ones taking the real opportunity.

Not the end -- a new layer

A similar pattern can be seen in all major advertising shifts. The hype at the beginning. The doubt afterwards. The struggling early executions. Finally, people get used to it gradually. TV didn’t put an end to radio. Mobile didn’t take away the desktop. Each of them brought a new way of connecting brands and customers.

Smart glasses, along with visual AI, are doing the same. They are creating yet another surface, which is very much in line with the way humans already experience the world--looking.

The brands that gain will not be the ones that are the loudest or the fastest. They will learn the value of presence over persuasion and of context over control.

Advertising that gets "eyes-on" is not a distant concept anymore. It is in the process of realisation.

And in 2026, it will silently change the notion of what is relevant to the industry, regardless of whether it is ready or not.

This article is penned by Xi Zeng, Founder, Chance AI.