Google introduced a new direction for its AI Smart Eyewear project during the I/O 2025 conference by announcing a collaboration with South Korean eyewear label Gentle Monster. This marks the first official partnership for Google’s extended reality (XR) platform on Android. The move signals a shift in strategy, where function meets fashion to create wearable tech that integrates naturally into everyday routines.
Known for pushing visual trends and delivering sleek, contemporary eyewear, Gentle Monster enters this partnership with a strong reputation in both product design and brand collaborations. Google selected the label for its ability to produce frames that are not only functional but also widely worn across different fashion communities. The brand’s international popularity offers Google a ready-made audience for its next phase in wearable innovation.
Shahram Izadi, General Manager and Vice President of Google XR, underlined Gentle Monster’s relevance by pointing to the clarity and precision of the brand’s design language. By involving Gentle Monster early in the product development process, Google aims to produce smart eyewear that doesn’t feel technical or invasive. Instead, the product aspires to work quietly in the background, assisting without interfering.
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This partnership with Gentle Monster allows Google to demonstrate how Android XR can support technology that people want to wear. Extended reality has often felt confined to the gaming or enterprise sectors, but this collaboration suggests a broader ambition: putting XR tools directly into daily life, starting with objects as familiar as sunglasses or optical frames.
Gentle Monster’s involvement shifts the focus from just hardware to experience. The eyewear label brings an audience that already thinks about personal style when choosing accessories. Now, they’ll be offered frames that also carry AI-powered features, without requiring a trade-off between style and function. For Google, this becomes a chance to redefine what XR wearables look and feel like outside of developer labs.
Google and Gentle Monster haven’t yet confirmed when the first model will reach the public. The announcement at I/O 2025 focused more on setting the tone and direction of the partnership than revealing specific features or pricing.
