Picture this: a small device hanging around your neck, recording every word you say from morning to night, while an AI organizes, reminds, and answers questions on demand.
This isn't science fiction—it's Meta's next hardware project.
Internal memo reveals plans
The Information obtained an internal Meta memo detailing the company's work on an AI pendant that can be clipped to clothing or worn as a necklace. Its core function is to record conversations and provide an AI assistant. Testing is expected to begin within a year.
The project didn't come out of nowhere. In December, Meta acquired Limitless, a company that makes exactly this kind of AI pendant. Meta said the acquisition was to:
"accelerate our work to build AI-enabled wearables"
In plain terms: Meta bought the talent and product line, and now it's building its own version.
The memo also outlined two other moves:
- Expanding the AI glasses product line
- Launching a subscription service called "Wearables for Work"
Why bet on hardware now
The numbers tell the story: Meta's Reality Labs division lost $4 billion in the first quarter of this year. That division—where Meta pours money into VR, AR, and wearables—has been burning cash for years, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg facing investor pressure. Now it's adding another pendant project.
So why double down? Because Meta has seen success with glasses. The Ray-Ban smart glasses sold well, proving that embedding AI into everyday accessories works. The pendant is an extension of the same logic: glasses on the face, pendant on the chest—both aim to keep AI with you at all times, listening and watching.
The hurdle no one has cleared
Interestingly, "always-on" AI hardware has largely failed in recent years. The problem isn't technology—it's two things: privacy and usefulness. A device that hangs on someone's chest and records constantly raises questions about consent from those around you. And even if it captures tons of audio, no one has clearly demonstrated what concrete value the AI delivers.
Humane's AI Pin and Rabbit's R1 both stumbled on these points. By taking over Limitless, Meta is now facing the same challenge that no one has overcome.
The real question isn't the pendant
Hanging a recording pendant around your neck isn't technically difficult. The real question Meta must answer—the one everyone has failed to answer—is: besides recording, what makes it worth wearing all the time?
That answer may be harder to find than losing another $4 billion.
Sources: Meta is reportedly developing an AI pendant (TechCrunch); CocoLoop; The Information internal memo report