Norway to become the first major country to pause AI glasses in public spaces

Norway is the first major country to propose a temporary ban on AI glasses in selected public places. It applies to parks, beaches, schools and kindergartens, among others. The Norwegian government said on Monday that it will soon present a bill to parliament.

The background is concern about privacy. With AI glasses, you risk being photographed, filmed or recorded without knowing it. Digitalization Minister Torgeir Micaelsen says he is concerned about powerful new technology entering everyday life in this way.

The ban is intended as a pause. The government will at the same time set up an expert group to propose permanent national rules. According to the minister, the pause gives time for a thorough assessment and an informed debate before the final rules are set.

It is not a total ban. The government says use may be fine where there is no risk of filming others without consent. The point, according to Micaelsen, is that people should not go around fearing hidden audio and video recordings in places where they are used to not being monitored.

It is not only the government that is reacting. In Norway, schools in Oslo have already introduced their own bans. So has the country's largest company, the oil and gas company Equinor, which has banned the glasses in offices and offshore facilities. Australia is considering a ban in certain public spaces, and courtrooms in several countries have banned them.

What does it mean for you? Personally: If you use AI glasses or are considering buying a pair, it is wise to think about where you wear them. That applies especially to places with children and places where others do not expect to be recorded. As a company: Equinor shows that a workplace can set its own rule. If you do not have a position on glasses with a camera and microphone, it may be time to consider one.

The rule of thumb: There is no reason to do anything in Denmark right now, as the proposal applies to Norway. Keep an eye on whether the bill is passed in Norway and whether more countries follow. If a similar discussion arises in Denmark, it will be time to look at your own rules.

At the same time, the market is growing. Meta, Google and OpenAI believe glasses could become our most important gateway to AI, and Counterpoint Research expects consumers to spend more than 1,000 billion dollars on wearable devices between 2026 and 2032. That makes the question of privacy more pressing, not less.