Which smart-glasses AI features run on-device, and which reach the cloud?
This is a feature-level comparison of Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, Even G2 and Brilliant Labs Frame, not a ranking or a hands-on review. Last reviewed: 5 September 2026.
One documented offline feature; two unresolved AI paths
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 has an official, feature-specific offline claim for Live Translation after a language-pack download. Even G2’s product page does not say where its AI features process requests. Brilliant Labs Frame can execute limited Lua behaviors on the glasses, but its developer documentation places most application logic in a Bluetooth-connected host app and does not locate an AI model. None of those facts establish that an entire assistant runs offline.
Official claims are attributed below. AI-Portable has not independently tested these devices, so no observed-behavior claims are made.
Processing, connection, availability
| Device | Processing conclusion | Official processing claim | Connectivity requirement | Official availability evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) | Feature-specific: offline case documented | Meta says Live Translation can work in airplane mode after the relevant language pack is downloaded. Its announcement describes Meta AI and visual-question features, but does not say where those features process requests. | Live Translation has a documented offline case after a language-pack download. For Meta AI questions and visual requests, the processing location and offline behavior are unknown from this source. | Meta said Gen 2 was available in most countries where Ray-Ban Meta glasses are sold; country, language and feature availability vary. |
| Even G2 | Processing location unknown | Even describes Conversate, AI Cues, AI Summary, Translate and Even AI, and says cloud storage requires explicit consent. The product page does not identify which of those features run on the glasses, phone or cloud. | The glasses use Bluetooth and an Even companion app. Network requirements for individual AI features are unknown from the product page. | The official U.S. product page offers configuration and a return policy. Current stock, countries and feature availability are not established by this page. |
| Brilliant Labs Frame | Limited on-device scripts; AI location unknown | Brilliant’s developer documentation says Frame typically acts as a Bluetooth peripheral for a host app; Lua scripts can execute on Frame for specific behaviors, while the host app primarily drives logic. It does not establish where any AI model runs. | A host app communicates with Frame over Bluetooth. Whether a particular host app or AI feature needs internet connectivity is unknown from the Frame SDK documentation. | The developer documentation describes the Frame SDK, not current retail availability. Availability is unknown in this brief. |
What this page can establish
We reviewed manufacturer product, privacy and developer documentation available on 5 September 2026. “On-device” means the manufacturer explicitly says processing or code runs on the glasses. “Cloud” means it explicitly identifies a server-backed path. A feature is marked unknown when those materials do not establish where it runs. A companion-app architecture alone does not prove cloud processing.
Claims can change with software versions, language packs, subscriptions, account eligibility and country. Availability here records the manufacturer’s published launch or support statement; it is not a live inventory check. Independent testing, latency, accuracy, data flows beyond the stated architecture, and battery impact are outside this brief.