Alibaba’s artificial intelligence powered smart glasses went on sale on Thursday as the Chinese tech giant ramps up its focus on consumer AI in an increasingly competitive market.
The Quark AI Glasses, first announced in July, come in two variants: the S1, starting at 3,799 Chinese yuan ($536), and the G1, priced at 1,899 yuan.
Alibaba has integrated its Qwen AI models, the company’s version of ChatGPT, into the device, which also connects to its newly launched Qwen app. This allows users to control the glasses using voice commands to perform various tasks.
The glasses feature lenses that function as screens, and the device includes a built-in camera within the frame. According to Alibaba, the main difference between the S1 and G1 lies in the display technology.
The company said the glasses offer several features, including real-time translation, AI generated meeting notes, and the ability to ask the virtual assistant questions. Users can also take photos of a product with the camera, and the device will display the price of that item on Taobao, Alibaba’s main shopping platform.
Like other tech giants such as Meta, Alibaba is betting that smart glasses could become the next major consumer device after the smartphone.
In September, Meta unveiled the $799 Meta Ray Ban Display glasses, its first consumer-ready smart glasses with a built-in display. These glasses can be controlled via hand gestures using a special wristband.
Alibaba’s glasses will initially launch in China, where they will compete with domestic rivals including Xiaomi and the startup Xreal.
Although the smart glasses market remains relatively small, it is growing quickly. According to a forecast by Omdia, shipments of AI glasses are expected to surpass 10 million units by 2026, doubling from 2025.
For Alibaba, the glasses represent its latest push into the consumer AI sector as it builds on its recent momentum. The company’s ChatGPT style Qwen app received 10 million downloads during the first week of its public beta. Meanwhile, Alibaba’s cloud computing division, where much of its AI-related revenue is recorded, reported accelerated growth in the most recent quarter.
The Hangzhou based company is considered one of China’s leading AI players, aggressively investing in artificial intelligence and releasing new models alongside rivals such as Baidu and Tencent.
