Meta's latest smart glasses feature, Live AI, has been touted as a revolutionary technology that allows users to interact with an AI assistant in real-time. However, a hands-on review by The Verge's Victoria Song reveals that the feature falls short of expectations, struggling to provide useful and relevant information in everyday scenarios.

The concept of Live AI is intriguing, allowing users to ask questions and receive answers without needing to constantly prompt the AI. The feature is designed to be used in a variety of situations, from cooking to fashion advice. However, in practice, the AI's responses often feel obvious and unhelpful, leaving the user wondering when and why they would want to use it.

Song's experience with Live AI was marked by frustration, as she struggled to come up with scenarios where the feature would be genuinely useful. When asking for breakfast ideas based on ingredients in her fridge, the AI suggested obvious options like scrambled eggs and yogurt parfaits, despite the lack of fresh fruit and limited ingredients. Similarly, when asking for fashion advice, the AI's responses were vague and unhelpful, suggesting only that she try "a combination of pastel colors" that would "complement the pink nails nicely."

One of the biggest hurdles to using Live AI is remembering that it's an option, as users are accustomed to reaching for their phones to find information. Additionally, the AI's limitations become apparent when it struggles to differentiate between conversations with the user and others in the room, and its battery life is limited to 30-minute windows.

The review highlights a broader issue with AI technology: the need for users to learn how to ask the right questions to get useful answers. This skill doesn't come naturally to everyone, and few resources are available to teach users how to effectively interact with AI assistants. As Song notes, "you have to know how to ask the right questions to get the answer you want," a challenge that many users may not be equipped to overcome.

Despite its limitations, Live AI is not without its potential. When used effectively, it can provide helpful and relevant information, as seen in Song's experience with asking for home office decor advice. However, the feature's shortcomings and unclear use cases make it difficult to see how it will become a integral part of users' daily lives.

Meta's vision for Live AI is ambitious, aiming to create a future where users can interact with AI assistants seamlessly and effortlessly. However, as Song's review demonstrates, there is still much work to be done to make this vision a reality. Until then, users may find themselves reaching for their phones instead of relying on Live AI.