Seth Ketron, an associate professor of marketing in the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas, spoke with the Minnesota Star Tribune about Best Buy’s nationwide rollout of Meta AI shopping experiences and the growing market for AI-powered smart glasses. Ketron discussed how the technology’s success will depend on consumer trust, privacy concerns and whether shoppers see enough value to embrace wearable AI devices.
From the article:
Today’s AI glasses are far more discreet, resembling conventional eyewear while offering features such as real-time translation, hands-free photography and AI-powered assistance, said Seth Ketron, an associate marketing professor at the University of St. Thomas who studies retail technology and consumer behavior.
All of Meta’s smart glasses include built-in cameras with an LED light that illuminates while recording to alert people nearby. ...
Privacy advocates say such technology could expand surveillance and raises questions about consent. Meta has said it is still exploring the feature and has not decided whether to release it.
In many cases, “recording people without their consent is unethical,” Ketron said, “even more so in situations where privacy is paramount, like medical settings.”
Because the technology is built into a pair of glasses, it may also be more difficult to restrict than smartphones or computers, Ketron said. He added the devices could pose academic integrity concerns if students use them to cheat on exams.
