At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2023 in Shanghai, Alibaba Group Holding showcased its first AI-powered smart glasses. This product marks the company's entry into the smart wearables market.
Features of Alibaba's AI Glasses
The Quark AI glasses, named after the company’s AI assistant, were revealed to the public for the first time at the event on Saturday. According to company representatives, the product is ready, and an official launch is planned for this year, although specific timelines were not disclosed.
The glasses feature a dual-chip setup, enabling a balance between performance and battery life, allowing users to utilize AI functions without frequent recharging.
Competition in the Smart Glasses Market
The smart glasses market has seen growth recently, with Alibaba facing local competition from firms like Rokid and Xreal, which have also released new products. Alibaba has deepened its reach by partnering with augmented reality glasses maker RayNeo, aiming to integrate AI capabilities into RayNeo's offerings.
"This partnership represents a new application of the Qwen LLM in the field of smart glasses," said Zhou Jingren, CTO of Alibaba Cloud.
Alibaba's Long-Term Plans for AI
Alibaba is committed to enhancing its AI capabilities and announced in February plans to invest about $53 billion in AI infrastructure over the next three years. CEO Eddie Wu Yongming indicated an aggressive investment strategy, reflecting the company's serious intentions to advance AI technologies, especially following the success of the startup DeepSeek and its models.
The unveiling of Alibaba's AI glasses marks an important step for the company in the competitive smart device market. Strategic investments and technological partnerships underline Alibaba's commitment to strengthening its position in the field of artificial intelligence.
