Alibaba launches US$537 Quark AI glasses to challenge wearables from Meta, Xiaomi, Rokid

Alibaba Group Holding on Thursday launched its first artificial intelligence glasses in China, as the tech giant seeks to carve out a solid niche in the growing smart wearables market.

The Quark AI Glasses, named after the company’s Quark AI assistant, include three versions each of the series’ flagship S1 model and the lightweight G1 model. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

“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 3,799 yuan (US$537), 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.