“This is the future of AI wearables!”
That’s what I’m told when a Razer representative puts a pair of unremarkable headphones on my ears. Except this isn’t your average pair of gaming headphones. This is Razer’s Project Motoko, a concept pair of headphones with dual 4K cameras, short- and far-field microphones, and built-in artificial intelligence. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, although Razer has no doubts about it Which. This is because by the time the device hits store shelves, it may be slightly different from the one shown at CES 2026.
Headphones, a Razer rep told me, are a much better choice for AI on the go than clever glasses, before I give you a few reasons. For starters, the headphones have longer battery life. While Razer refuses to give us official battery specs, I’m told they’ve achieved up to 36 hours in testing. If this happens, it will be a significant advantage. For comparison, Ray-Ban Meta glasses last about six hours on a single charge. Some clever glasses offer longer battery life, but I’ve yet to see a pair of clever glasses that can truly last all day. Theoretically, the headphones can also be used while charging – this cannot be done with clever glasses.
Placing the cameras in the cans also reportedly provides more natural point-of-view footage. I’m skeptical about this because it depends on clever glasses. This may be true for glasses in which the camera is placed on a single hinge, but it is a dubious claim for glasses in which the camera is located on the bridge of the nose.
Finally, since these are true over-ear headphones, no one else will hear your responses. The representative told me it was a much more private solution than the open-ear sound you could get with glasses.
Otherwise, it works similarly to how AI glasses work. With one press of a button, you can take photos and then talk or ask questions to your chosen AI assistant. The demo model I see has ChatGPT preloaded.
Like many CES demos, this one is a bit vague. I see Project Motoko translating a cafe menu written in Japanese. Correctly identifies the tablet as a miniature version of the Rosetta Stone. At one point he explains how to say “One matcha latte, please” in Japanese and repeats it more slowly, phonetically. (The translation mentioned is right.) I’m told you’ll also be able to apply it to ask for recipe suggestions or generate exercise recommendations. Some basic AI queries can be performed locally on the handset, while more complicated queries will require an internet connection from your phone or computer. Anyway, I was told that Project Motoko would require minimal connectivity. Huge if true.
When I ask about privacy, Razer refers me to a miniature recording control. I didn’t notice this working at all during the demo and I’m skeptical whether it will be fully apparent in a brilliant environment or whether you’ll have a voluminous head of hair. Speaking of luscious curls, I’m curious how it might interfere with the camera view. With clever glasses on, my bangs are a constant, unwanted intrusion into videos and photos.
I kind of blame Sam Altman and Jony Ive for this. Last year, the duo announced that Open AI was working on a mysterious AI hardware product that NO be glasses. For now, we only know that it will have no screen and the size of a phone, but at the beginning many (including me) speculated that headphones might be included in the set. Now it looks like Razer has taken this idea and is implementing it. Razer has already done it experimented with smart glassesto destitute response, so perhaps this is another reason why the company wants to expand its operations.
For a concept product, Razer seems pretty confident that it will actually reach consumers. While Razer declined to provide a price estimate, the company says Project Motoko will arrive later this year.