Alibaba has officially announced its first pair of AI-powered smart glasses, marking a significant step into the wearable tech space at the World Artificial Intelligence (WAIC) in Shanghai.
The Quark AI glasses were first time showcased to the public at the country’s largest annual AI event.
The company revealed that product development has been completed, and it will be launched this year; a specific timeline is yet to be defined.
Alibaba’s debut in the smart glasses market has highlighted its competition with domestic firms like Rokid and Xreal. It has been observed that these local companies have rushed to release their new products.
The head of smart terminal business, Song Gang, at Alibaba’s Intelligent Information business group during a sub-forum said, “AI glasses will become the most important form of wearable intelligence – it will serve as another pair of eyes and ears for humans.”
The latest move by the Hangzhou-based tech giant is to provide a broader vision to enhance its AI offerings. Alibaba has fully committed to invest US$53 billion in AI infrastructure over the next few years.
With the development of Quark AI glasses, Alibaba aims to address the challenges faced by existing AI glasses on the market.
Song Gang further shed light on the innovation of new glasses as, "With the Quark AI glasses, Alibaba seeks to address common challenges faced by existing AI glasses on the market, including poor user experience, short battery life, and limited AI interaction.”
He further stated, “The temples of the new glasses were 40 per cent smaller than industry standards, while the frame was also thinner. They use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 chip, designed specifically for smart glasses, and an unidentified low-power processor, and operate on dual systems: Android and Real-Time Operating System, which is tailored for time-sensitive tasks.”
Nevertheless, Alibaba’s entry into smart glasses intensifies the competition among the leading tech firms in China.
The substantial development, innovative partnership and the exclusively designed AI models have elevated the tech race in China.
Alibaba is well placed to redefine people’s needs and how they engage with intelligent devices everywhere.
Alibaba has positioned itself to excel as a key contender in the race to deliver next- generation wearables shaping the future of wearable technology.
