Alibaba Group Holding launched its first artificial intelligence glasses in China. The Quark AI Glasses, named after the company’s Quark AI assistant, include three versions of the flagship S1 model and the lightweight G1 model. “AI glasses are the intelligent devices that truly usher in a revolution in human-computer interaction in the AI era,” Alibaba Vice President Wu Jia said at the product launch. “In this respect, their importance is no less than that of mobile phones.”
With prices starting at CNY3,799, the S1 has a dual-chip system that features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 processor and a low-power coprocessor. This model provides “intelligent, hands-free assistance for everyday life” – from answering user questions and real-time translation to payments and navigation, Alibaba said at the launch. The G1 glasses, which cost from CNY1,899 and weigh 40 grams, share the S1 model’s core hardware, except for the display. Alibaba’s Quark AI Glasses series is expected to present a fresh challenge to Meta Platforms’ consumer-ready smart glasses with a built-in display – the Meta Ray-Ban Display, released in September – as well as similar smart wearable devices from Chinese firms Rokid and Xiaomi. The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, priced from USD799, feature a full-color display in the right lens, while the Quark AI Glasses are equipped with a monochrome green display.
Alibaba started pre-sales of the glasses in late October on major domestic e-commerce platforms – including Taobao, JD.com and ByteDance-owned Douyin – but had not announced plans for its overseas release. In the first half of 2025, the global smart glasses market saw shipments more than double, driven mostly by strong demand for Meta’s glasses, along with new offerings from Xiaomi, according to market research firm Counterpoint. Xiaomi in June launched its own smart glass model that costs CNY1,999, while Baidu’s Xiaodu AI Glass Pro went on sale in November priced at CNY2,299. Hangzhou-based AI and augmented reality start-up Rokid earlier this month introduced lightweight AI glasses priced from CNY2,199. The product was developed in partnership with Chinese eyewear brand Bolon.
Compared with its domestic rivals, Alibaba touted the deep integration of its Quark AI Glasses with its extensive app ecosystem – from mapping service Amap and online shopping marketplace Taobao to online travel agency Fliggy and mobile payment platform Alipay, operated by fintech affiliate Ant Group. Alibaba said it was also working with external partners to “deliver a unified experience across shopping, travel, payments, music and productivity”. The partnerships include Tencent Holdings’ QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music, the South China Morning Post reports.
