Sesame AI Glasses: The Future of Wearable AI Assistants

On February 27, 2025, the tech world witnessed a groundbreaking innovation from Sesame, a startup led by industry veterans. Spearheaded by Brendan Iribe, co-founder of Oculus VR and former CEO, Sesame is developing AI glasses that promise to redefine how we interact with technology. Joining Iribe are Ankit Kumar, former CTO of Ubiquity6, and Ryan Brown, a former Meta Reality Labs research engineering director, both bringing extensive expertise to the project.

At the heart of Sesame’s innovation are their AI glasses, a sleek, all-day wearable device paired with a voice assistant named Maya. Unlike traditional AI assistants like Alexa or Gemini, Maya is designed to feel natural and engaging. The glasses deliver high-quality audio and allow Maya to observe and interact with the world alongside the user, creating a seamless and intuitive experience.

One of Maya’s standout features is its ability to carry on natural-sounding conversations. During a demonstration, Maya effortlessly adapted to user interjections and requests, whether crafting a Dungeons & Dragons-style adventure or diving into niche topics like small Android phones. The experience was described as fluid and conversational, with minimal lag or misunderstandings. Sean Hollister, senior editor at The Verge, noted, “Speaking to Maya is the first time I’ve been left wanting more. It felt more like a real conversation than anything I’ve had so far.”

Sesame’s ambitious project has already attracted significant attention and funding from prominent investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Spark Capital, and Matrix Partners—all of whom were major backers of Oculus VR. This strong financial backing underscores the potential of Sesame’s vision to redefine wearable technology.

From a technical standpoint, Sesame’s AI model is trained on a dataset of approximately one million hours of publicly available audio, ensuring a robust and versatile foundation. The company also plans to open-source its models and expand language support to over 20 languages in the coming months, making the technology accessible to a global audience.

The article includes images of early prototypes, showcasing the sleek design and functionality of the AI glasses. These prototypes hint at a future where wearable technology is not only practical but also stylish and integrated into everyday life.

When compared to other AI assistants, Maya stands out for its ability to handle interruptions and maintain a natural flow of conversation. Hollister even noted that the experience felt more compelling than OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT, highlighting the strides Sesame has made in creating a truly conversational AI.

Looking ahead, Sesame aims to release its AI glasses and voice assistant to the public, focusing on creating a seamless, all-day wearable device. This initiative has the potential to transform how we interact with technology, making it more intuitive, engaging, and human-like.

In a world where AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our lives, Sesame’s AI glasses and Maya represent a significant leap forward. With a team of industry veterans, strong investor backing, and a focus on natural, conversational AI, Sesame is poised to lead the next wave of wearable technology. As Hollister aptly put it, “It felt more like a real conversation than anything I’ve had so far.” And in the realm of AI, that’s a game-changer.