Alibaba Challenges Meta in the AI Glasses Race

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Alibaba is officially stepping into the smart glasses arena, joining the growing list of tech giants betting that AI wearables will be the next big thing. The Quark AI Glasses, set for release in China by late 2025, will run on Alibaba’s large language model, Qwen, and its upgraded AI assistant, Quark.

This positions the company to directly compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, as well as domestic contenders like Xiaomi, which have also launched AI eyewear in 2025.

Not just another pair of specs

Much like Meta’s latest Ray-Ban smart glasses, Alibaba’s specs aren’t about screens or immersive augmented reality (AR) overlays, which are those layered visuals that float in your field of view; Quark AI Glasses focus on what users can do right now, which includes hands-free calling, music streaming, real-time translation, meeting transcription, and snapping photos with a built-in camera.

In addition, Alibaba’s ecosystem will be available via its Quark AI glasses. According to Alibaba, users will be able to make payments via Alipay, navigate using Alibaba Maps, and shop on Taobao directly through the glasses. As the company puts it, this move is “a way to distribute the app more widely.” Only now, it’s wearable.

“The innovations underscore Alibaba’s growing role as a leader in applied generative AI, delivering intelligent solutions that are not only technologically advanced but deeply integrated into everyday experiences and industrial workflows,” said Jingren Zhou, chief technology officer, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.

Meta, meet your newest rival

Meta is betting on a future where glasses, not phones, are the primary gateway to digital assistance. Its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, released in 2023, use generative AI to support tasks like real-time translation, livestreaming, photo capture, and voice-enabled search; the glasses even use AI to identify landmarks or provide product info when you ask. 

Alibaba appears to share this vision. And with China’s AI hardware scene moving fast and Alibaba’s vast e-commerce, payments, and mapping infrastructure, it’s not hard to imagine the Quark AI Glasses launching with a level of real-world integration that exceeds what Meta has delivered so far.

Both pairs of glasses can help you take a call or translate a conversation, but only Alibaba’s will let you navigate a city, comparison-shop, and pay… all without pulling out your phone. 

Pricing and specs

Full pricing and technical details about Quark AI Glasses have yet to be released. The eWeek sister site TechRepublic details how Apple’s Tim Cook is reportedly obsessed with AR glasses and considers them a top priority.