Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:BABA) has entered China’s competitive smart glasses market, unveiling its first AI-powered wearable, Quark AI glasses, at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai.

The glasses, named after Alibaba’s AI assistant, mark the tech giant’s debut in this fast-growing space. Alibaba said it completed development and plans to launch the glasses later this year, SCMP reported on Saturday.

The device runs on Qualcomm’s (NASDAQ:QCOM) Snapdragon AR1 chip and dual operating systems, offering real-time interaction with Alibaba’s ecosystem, including Alipay, Taobao, and Amap. Users can scan QR codes to pay, check prices, and get navigation assistance while walking or biking.

Also Read: Apple’s Upcoming Chip Aims To Challenge Meta In Smart Glasses Battle: Report

“AI glasses will become the most important form of wearable intelligence,” said Song Gang, head of Alibaba’s smart terminal unit, adding that the company designed the product to solve issues like short battery life and weak AI functionality. The frame and temples are thinner than industry standards.

Kuo’s research indicates that Apple is actively pursuing at least seven head-mounted projects, with rollouts projected to commence from 2027 onwards.

This aggressive push from Apple comes amidst lingering market skepticism regarding its innovation velocity, particularly when juxtaposed against rivals like Meta and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL).

Nevertheless, Kuo views Apple’s renewed emphasis on hardware as a favorable development for both the supply chain and the broader future of wearable technology.

This substantial investment underscores growing investor confidence in Alibaba’s expansive $52.4 billion AI transformation initiatives, as Wall Street keenly awaits the company’s fourth-quarter earnings results.

Price Action: BABA stock is trading higher by 2.02% to $122.45 premarket at last check Monday.

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