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Smart glasses banned from Welsh Parliament after ruling they could be used for speeches
The presiding officer of the Senedd has paused the use of AI-equipped smart glasses in the Welsh Parliament while an official review is under way. The decision came days after he had said members could use the glasses as teleprompters with advance notice, following Reform MS Jason O’Connell’s use of them to deliver a speech.
O’Connell’s glasses do not have a camera, and he says he has voluntarily stopped using them until the review is complete. The Senedd Commission plans to consult members and staff, finish the review by the end of 2026 and bring forward recommendations in the new year; the presiding officer has not explained why his position changed.
In short
- Smart glasses are paused in the Senedd pending a review.
- Jason O’Connell used camera-free glasses as a teleprompter.
- The review is due to finish by the end of 2026.
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The case for
Pausing the glasses while the review is conducted could protect the integrity of parliamentary debate and give members and staff time to assess how wearable prompts affect scrutiny, transparency and speaking conventions. A consistent interim rule may also avoid uncertainty while the Senedd considers safeguards, including whether advance notice is sufficient.
The case against
Allowing members to use glasses as disclosed teleprompters could help them deliver accurate, well-prepared speeches while keeping their attention on the chamber. Since O’Connell’s glasses have no camera and he had been permitted to use them with advance notice, a blanket pause may be unnecessarily restrictive if clear disclosure and suitable safeguards can address the concerns.