Alibaba unveils its first AI-powered smart glasses

Alibaba Group Holding has officially entered the Chinese smart wearables market by previewing its first AI-powered smart glasses at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, the country’s largest annual AI event. The new glasses, named Quark AI after Alibaba’s AI assistant, were revealed publicly for the first time during the event. While the company has completed development and plans to launch the product this year, no specific release date has been announced. According to reports, the smart glasses feature a dual-chip setup designed to balance performance with battery life, enabling users to access AI functionalities without frequent recharging. This design also caters to different user preferences by offering options for both overlay-heavy and minimalist designs.

Alibaba’s entry into the smart glasses market

This launch marks Alibaba’s debut in a competitive smart glasses market, where domestic companies like Rokid and Xreal have been actively releasing new products. Earlier this year, Alibaba partnered with Hong Kong-based augmented reality glasses maker RayNeo to provide AI support powered by Alibaba’s Qwen large language models (LLMs). Zhou Jingren, CTO of Alibaba Cloud, highlighted that this partnership is the first deep collaboration between an LLM developer and an AI glasses manufacturer in China, showcasing a new application of Qwen LLM technology in smart glasses. Song Gang, head of Alibaba’s Intelligent Information business group’s smart terminal division, stated that AI glasses are expected to become the most important form of wearable intelligence in the future, serving as an additional pair of eyes and ears for users.

Alibaba’s broader AI strategy

Alibaba’s move into AI-powered smart glasses is part of a larger strategic push into artificial intelligence. In February, the Hangzhou-based tech giant announced it would invest approximately $53 billion in AI infrastructure over the next three years — the largest such commitment by a private company in China. CEO Eddie Wu Yongming emphasized an aggressive investment approach, inspired by the success of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek and its globally recognized R1 model, which outperformed many existing AI models earlier this year. Alibaba plans to continue enhancing its software and hardware offerings through its Qwen AI model series, further strengthening its position in the AI and smart wearables sectors.

Source: Alibaba unveils its first AI-powered smart glasses on July 27, 2025

FAQs

What are Alibaba’s new smart glasses called?

The new glasses are named Quark AI, after Alibaba’s AI assistant.

When will Alibaba's AI-powered smart glasses be available?

The company has completed development and plans to launch the product this year, although no specific release date has been announced yet.

What is the dual-chip setup in Alibaba's smart glasses intended for?

The dual-chip setup is designed to balance performance with battery life, allowing users to access AI functionalities without frequent recharges.

How does Alibaba’s partnership with RayNeo enhance the glasses?

Alibaba's partnership with RayNeo aims to provide AI support powered by Alibaba’s Qwen large language models (LLMs), marking a significant collaborative effort in China.

Crypto Market's Take

At Crypto Market, we emphasize the growing influence of AI in various sectors, including smart wearables like Alibaba’s new glasses. Our AI Agents section offers insight into how machine learning models, similar to Alibaba's Qwen LLMs, drive innovation and enhance user experience in technology products. Explore how these AI advancements are reshaping markets and consumer tech through our AI Agents Hub.

Alibaba unveils its first AI-powered smart glasses