How the low-vision community embraced AI smart glasses

The Vergecast

Vox Media Podcast Network

News, Tech News, Technology

4.4 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2025

⏱️ 75 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On this episode of The Vergecast, we’re going to dive deep into why accessible design is universal design. First, guest host Victoria Song will chat with Jason Valley, a visually impaired Verge reader. Jason initially reached out to Victoria after her Live AI hands-on, challenging the notion that the feature was a “solution looking for a problem to solve.” Jason shares how the tech has helped him live a more independent life, what he’s hoping to see improve, and how the blind and low-vision community has enthusiastically embraced the technology. After that, Victoria sits down with Be My Eyes CEO Mike Buckley. Be My Eyes is an app that pairs blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers to help them go about their day. Buckley gives his thoughts about how accessible tech design benefits everyone, why smart glasses and AI are a natural combo, and what challenges and opportunities in this space remain. And finally, we have features reporter Mia Sato on to answer a spicy question about smart glasses from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email [email protected]). Specifically, do smart glasses belong in the bedroom? Further reading: Live AI on Meta’s smart glasses is a solution looking for a problem Meta’s smart glasses can now describe what you’re seeing in more detail The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses actually make the future look cool Be My Eyes AI offers GPT-4-powered support for blind Microsoft customers The principles of wearable etiquette Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Vergecast, the flagship podcast of what AI smart glasses are actually good for.
0:09.1	I'm your friend V, and we are in week two of Hot Girl Vergecast summer.
0:14.8	Anyway, today's show is really exciting and quite personal for me, actually.
0:20.4	A few months ago, I was reviewing the
0:22.3	meta smart glasses, and I kind of flippantly commented that I didn't understand why anyone
0:27.3	would need AI to give a really obvious description of something that they're looking at.
0:33.1	Well, a bunch of visually impaired Verge cast listeners and Verge readers wrote in and said,
0:39.2	actually me, me, I am the person that this helps. And so a few of them actually challenged me
0:45.2	to rethink my framing. And I said, you know what? You're right. Because here at the Verge,
0:49.9	we do love good feedback. So today, we are talking about smart glasses and accessibility.
0:57.4	And first, we'll hear from one of the listeners who wrote into me, and he's going to tell us how
1:01.6	the meta glasses has changed his life for the better. And then I'll talk to the CEO of Be My Eyes.
1:07.5	That's a company that provides AI and live volunteer services for people with
1:12.8	visual impairments. They're integrated into those smart glasses and we'll hear about how they're
1:17.5	thinking about how this technology can help the visually impaired going forward. And finally,
1:22.2	my colleague Mia Sato will be joining me to answer a very spicy, potentially not safe for work question, about smart
1:28.8	glasses. All that coming up right after the break. This is the Vergecast. We'll be right back.
1:35.5	Support for this program comes from FM. Established nearly two centuries ago, FM is a leading
1:41.9	mutual insurance company whose capital, scientific research capability
1:46.0	and engineering expertise are solely dedicated to property risk management and the resilience of its policyholder owners.
1:53.0	These owners, who share the belief that the majority of property loss is preventable, work with FM to better understand the hazards that can impact their business continuity
2:02.4	to make cost-effective risk management decisions combining property loss prevention with insurance
	...

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