Meta is reportedly developing an AI clone of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, trained on his public statements and mannerisms, intended to handle interactions with employees on his behalf. This move toward photorealistic, 3D-animated characters surfaces while the company faces significant external pressure regarding its wearable technology development and privacy practices.

Separately, dozens of civil rights groups, including the ACLU, formally warned Mark Zuckerberg about integrating facial recognition into Meta's smart glasses. These organizations fear the technology will directly empower stalkers and sexual predators, urging the company to abandon the plans immediately. The coalition also demanded disclosure regarding law enforcement discussions.

Adding fuel to the fire, internal reporting suggested Meta planned to deploy this feature during times of limited public scrutiny or focused opposition. This strategy, described as “vile behavior” by critics, shows a calculated approach to deploying controversial features. The company faces a steep reputational hill to climb regarding user trust and ethics.

Meanwhile, the wearables race heats up as Apple reportedly tests up to four distinct styles for its own smart glasses, aiming to directly challenge the second-gen Ray-Ban Meta product. Apple’s version is expected to focus on seamless integration with the iPhone ecosystem for media handling and editing, setting up a direct hardware confrontation.