China’s AI glasses market takes shape as Xiaomi’s entry inspires early adopters

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi’s entry into the country’s burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) glasses market is likely to benefit from the gadget maker’s expansive ecosystem and supply chain strength, according to early adopters and analysts.

Several users who bought the Xiaomi AI frames when they were released last month found the first-person video recording and AI features useful for documenting personal moments and assisting with office tasks, although there were improvements and missing features they hoped to see in the gadget’s future iterations.

The Xiaomi AI glasses were handy for hands-free photography and videography, which was ideal for situations like cycling where the users’ hands were occupied, according to a Singapore media industry worker surnamed Li.

“I cycled in the Hutongs when I was in Beijing recently. All I had to do was tell XiaoAI ‘start recording’, and it conveniently started filming [the ride],” Li told the Post last week.

Pan Yanzhuo, a Beijing-based photographer, said Xiaomi AI’s first-person video shooting angle “offered a unique and fun perspective”. “I like using it to shoot videos when I’m playing card games,” Pan said.