Buzz
A recent update to Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses now allows users to swap the default AI voice for a celebrity voice. Whether you'd prefer John Cena, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, or Kristen Bell to notify you that your battery is at 33%, this feature has you covered.
I’m a big fan of my Meta Ray-Bans, as evident from my review, but I’m not a fan of unnecessary celebrity integrations. Back in the days before smartphones, I owned a TomTom GPS device that let you switch the default voice. I quickly realized that listening to John Cleese, in his signature pompous British persona, giving directions was not my idea of a pleasant road trip. So, I approached Meta’s celebrity voice options with some skepticism.
Surprisingly, Meta’s use of celebrity voices isn’t as grating as I expected. Instead of mimicking the celebrities’ personalities, Meta’s AI focuses on replicating their tone, inflection, and pitch. This means you get fresh voices without the over-the-top theatrics.
How to Set Up Celebrity Voices on Your Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses
Adding the new voices to your glasses is a straightforward process. Follow these simple steps:
Launch the Meta View app on your smartphone.
Tap on “Meta AI.”
Select “Language and Voice.”
Choose your preferred celebrity voice and click “Save” in the top-right corner.
After installation, your glasses function just as they did previously. Simply say, "Hey, Meta," and request it to read a sign, provide a weather update, or share a joke. The only difference is the voice, which will now have a semi-familiar tone.
Do Meta AI's Celebrity Voices Truly Resemble the Celebrities?
To test how accurately the AI mimics the celebrities it’s emulating, I asked my wife to listen to all four voices and guess who they were. She failed to identify any correctly. She mistook John Cena for Jon Hamm and thought Awkwafina sounded like an NPR host. Clearly, the voices don’t closely resemble the celebrities, especially since they aren’t saying things a celebrity would typically say.
Ranking Meta Ray-Ban Celebrity Voices from Least to Most Irritating
While these celebrity voices aren’t as bothersome as they might have been, they still lean toward being somewhat irritating. Some celebrities simply make better AI voices than others. Below is my ranking, ordered from least to most annoying.
Awkwafina: AI Awkwafina’s moderate pitch and natural-sounding tone make her voice the least robotic. I chose her as my default. Verdict: not irritating.
John Cena: The wrestler-turned-actor’s deep, distinctive voice suits an AI agent well, but AI Cena sometimes sounds overly artificial and computerized. Verdict: slightly irritating.
Kristen Bell: Known for her naturally high voice, the AI version of Bell often elevates her pitch further, making her sound overly animated, almost as if she’s speaking to a child. Verdict: irritating.
Keegan-Michael Key: Despite being a fan of Key, I regret to say his AI voice is the most grating. AI Keegan-Michael Key comes across as patronizing and rushed, as though he’s over-enunciating to make you feel inferior. Verdict: very irritating.
What if you prefer your Meta glasses to embody a celebrity’s personality?
I was slightly let down that Meta doesn’t attempt to replicate the personalities of the celebrities whose voices it uses, as that would have been entertaining. However, I reminded myself it’s just an AI, so I experimented with prompts like: “Hey, Meta. Tell me a story in the style of Awkwafina.” This delivered the bizarre, “why would anyone want this?” experience I was after, and I realized trying to get your glasses to mimic a B-list celebrity is oddly trendy.
AI Awkwafina frequently uses words like “like” and “bruh,” and shared this story: “Bruh, I was at the bodega the other day, and this guy tried to pay with a coupon for a free cat. Duh.” Verdict: irritatingly trendy and nonsensical.
AI Cena often calls you “brother” and tends to focus on wrestling and his heroic persona. Example story: “I entered the ring, brother, and delivered a powerful attitude adjustment to the villain, saving the day for everyone.” Verdict: irritatingly self-centered.
AI Bell shares overly domestic tales about her family, like this one: “I was attempting to cook a romantic dinner and accidentally set the kitchen towels on fire. My husband just laughed and said, ‘Well, that’s one way to spice things up.’” Verdict: irritatingly far-fetched.
AI Key’s stories are set in urban environments, often featuring him making snarky remarks about others. He’s usually at coffee shops or parks. Example: “OK. OK. OK. I’m at the park, and this guy’s playing fetch with his dog, and the dog’s just staring at him like, ‘Really, this?’” Verdict: irritatingly judgmental.
