Prime Highlights:
- Alibaba enters the consumer AI hardware race with its new Quark AI smart glasses, featuring built-in Qwen AI models and voice control via the Qwen app.
- The launch positions Alibaba against major global players like Meta, expanding its footprint in the rapidly growing smart-glasses sector.
Key Facts:
- Quark AI Glasses come in two models, S1 priced at $536 and G1 at $260, offering features such as real-time translation, AI meeting notes, and Taobao-integrated product pricing.
- Industry forecasts from Omdia predict that AI-glasses shipments will surpass 10 million units by 2026, underscoring strong market momentum.
Background
Alibaba has entered the consumer AI hardware race with the launch of its Quark AI smart glasses, now on sale in China. The glasses, priced at $536 for the S1 model and $260 for the G1 model, mark the tech giant’s biggest push yet into wearable AI devices as global competition heats up.
The Quark AI Glasses come with Alibaba’s Qwen AI models built into the system. The device also works with the new Qwen app, letting users control the glasses with their voice. The glasses have display lenses and a camera in the frame, giving hands-free access to AI tools.
Alibaba said the S1 and G1 differ mainly in display quality, but both support features such as real-time translation, AI-generated meeting notes, and the ability to ask virtual assistants questions. Users can also take photos of products, after which the glasses automatically show prices on Taobao, the company’s main shopping platform.
The launch puts Alibaba in direct competition with companies like Meta, which released its $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses in September. Other Chinese players, including Xiaomi and Xreal, are also expanding their presence in the fast-growing smart glasses market.
Industry reports suggest rapid growth ahead. Research firm Omdia forecasts that shipments of AI glasses will exceed 10 million units by 2026, nearly double the expected numbers for 2025.
For Alibaba, the new device strengthens its momentum in consumer AI. Its Qwen chatbot app crossed 10 million downloads in the first week of its public beta. The company’s cloud business, which earns much of its AI-related revenue, also reported improved growth last quarter.
With the launch, Alibaba signals its ambition to remain a leading force in China’s evolving AI landscape.
