Meta says its smart assistant is now available on your face. So why does it still act like it’s on vacation when you're in Europe?

The Marketing vs. Reality Gap

“It’s like having a genius assistant on your face!”
That’s what the ads promise.

But if you're in Italy, Hungary, or Slovenia, the experience is more like:

“Sorry, I didn’t get that. Try again later.”

In April 2025, Meta proudly announced the rollout of Meta AI on Ray-Ban smart glasses to several EU countries — including Austria, Germany, France, and a handful of others. But for many of us just a few kilometers away? Still nothing useful.

And no, simply crossing the border into Austria doesn’t magically unlock the AI. We’ve tried.

What Actually Works (Yes, It’s a Short List)

If you're hoping to turn your glasses into an AI-powered life companion in Venice, Ljubljana, or Budapest, here's what you can do:

✅ Say “Hey Meta, take a photo” — and yes, it’ll take a photo.
✅ “Record a video” — works fine.
✅ “Play music” — sometimes responsive, depending on setup.

And that’s... basically it.

Here’s what doesn’t work (yet):

❌ “Hey Meta, what’s the capital of Slovenia?”
❌ “How many grams in an ounce?”
❌ “Set a reminder for 5 PM”
❌ “Describe what I’m looking at”
❌ “Translate this sign”

Why It Doesn’t Work (Even When You’re in the EU)

Despite being physically present in Europe, your Meta glasses behave like you’re in a “non-priority zone.” Here’s why:

Meta doesn’t use GPS — it uses account region logic:

📍 Your Meta account region (based on phone number or email domain)
🌐 App Store or Play Store region
🗣️ Phone’s language setting (English US = best chance)
🔐 Possibly even IP address + firmware region

So even if you’re standing in Vienna, if your account is linked to Italy, Hungary, or Slovenia — Meta AI won’t unlock the “smarter” features.

Can You Hack It?

Some users have managed to work around the restrictions by doing things like:

Changing their phone’s language to English (United States)
Creating a new Meta account with an Austrian or German phone number
Using a VPN and switching app store regions

You can try… but success is inconsistent and frankly, it’s a lot of effort just to ask, “How many grams in an ounce?”

Our Verdict: Stylish Glasses, Beta AI

Don’t get us wrong — the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are beautifully built. Photos and videos are crisp, audio is solid, and the form factor is one of the best in the smart wearables space.

But Meta AI in Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia?

It’s like wearing a Ferrari frame with a lawnmower engine.

You’re not chatting with Jarvis. You’re arguing with Clippy.

Want Real-Time Updates?

We’re keeping a close eye on the rollout of Meta AI in under-served regions across Europe. If and when Italy, Hungary, or Slovenia get real features like visual scene descriptions, real-time translation, or actual general knowledge responses — we’ll let you know.

Until then, enjoy the sunglasses… and keep your expectations in low-power mode.