What’s the story?
Robert Downey Jr. joins Snap’s AR glasses subsidiary SPECS as honorary Chief Customer Experience Officer, launching a series of original episodes that put the glasses to the test.
Why it matters
Downey Jr. will work across the SPECS organization to shape new Lens experiences, collaborate on hardware and in-person experiences and develop original content for the AR glasses.
The bigger picture
Snap is putting a big-name celebrity behind SPECS to push the AR glasses further, with Robert Downey Jr. exploring how AR can improve how people live and work, from education to medicine.
October 22, 2026 – Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat and the parent of augmented reality (AR) glasses subsidiary SPECS, has this week announced that Robert Downey Jr. has joined SPECS as its honorary Chief Customer Experience Officer (CCEO).
The subsidiary shares its name with its product: SPECS is a computer built into a pair of see-through AR glasses. According to Snap, by using hands and voice, SPECS AR glasses bring digital experiences into the world around the wearer to communicate, play and get things done.
Snap stated that in the role, Downey Jr. will guide customers to understand and imagine what is possible with SPECS, working across different parts of the SPECS organization to explore new capabilities, shape new Lens experiences and develop original content. He will also collaborate on hardware and in-person experiences, and explore how AR can improve the way people live and work, from everyday experiences in entertainment and education to specialized uses across medicine, engineering, and manufacturing.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Robert Downey Jr. to SPECS to help shape the future of augmented reality,” said Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc. “Robert has been imagining what this technology could become for nearly twenty years, and it’s an honor to work with him to bring that vision to life.”
Downey Jr. launched his first project as CCEO this week: a collection of original episodes that put SPECS technology to the test. Snap added that the initial episodes show how the AR glasses can help users “elevate workspaces, master golf, relax with an entertaining show, and develop artistic skills.” The episodes are available to watch now on the SPECS website or YouTube, which will update as new episodes drop.
“Trying is believing. Having tested practically every wearable tech that’s come to market in the last 20 years, and been largely unimpressed, I was absolutely sold on SPECS within 40 seconds,” said Downey Jr. “The applications are endless. Families can share experiences instead of hunching over devices, skills can be honed, big business can streamline development. In short, it delivers on the promise of AR glasses made by a certain techno optimist superhero I portrayed. Life imitates art – imitates life! I’ve never experienced the confident, warm and creatively inviting atmosphere that Evan has cultivated at SPECS anywhere else in the tech sector. Wait’ll you see what we create for you to enjoy.”
The partnership was set to make its broadcast debut on October 20 during the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Tip-Off game. Snap stated that an original episode of the series will also make its broadcast debut during Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, October 23.
For more information on SPECS and its AR glasses, click here.
Image credit: Snap Inc.
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Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix, where he has spent years immersed in the XR ecosystem, tracking its evolution from early prototypes to the technologies shaping the future of human experience. While primarily covering the latest AR and VR news, his interests extend to the wider world of human augmentation, from AI and robotics to haptics, wearables, and brain–computer interfaces.