Next-gen smart glasses were one of the biggest reveals that stood out at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. Of roughly 60 exhibitors showing smart eyewear, at least 27 of them came from Chinese companies. This staggering proportion underlines how the Chinese tech industry is taking the lead in this emerging category. The truth is, China’s smart glasses market is exploding. The International Data Corporation’s (IDC) numbers show a sharp increase of 62.3% in the shipment volume of Chinese smart glasses.But this isn’t just about numbers. At CES, Chinese technology brands stood out across the floor. Established companies such as Rokid and Xreal, alongside new players
The annual CES trade fair revealed the coolest tech innovations of 2026, and some Chinese innovators grabbed the spotlight. Companies demonstrated how artificial intelligence can transform smart glasses. Wu Fei, CEO of LLVision, put it perfectly: “The rise of smart glasses is riding directly on advances in AI.” The Chinese companies are testing the limits of real-time interaction, translation, and productivity features in smart eyewear thanks to the newest developments in AI.
One device that grabbed the headlines was the Rokid AI Glasses Style. This is a pair of lightweight, display-free AI glasses that run multiple large language models, including ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Alibaba’s Qwen. This is what powers the eyewear’s on-the-fly voice assistance, translation, and navigation. The open AI ecosystem enables real-world applications without locking users into a single platform. Another standout was XGIMI’s MemoMind AI glasses. These specs embed a display and an AI interface directly into the lenses. You can use them for messaging,navigation,and smart notifications. The augmented content feels natural due to the luminous MicroLED visuals, but the overall fit is also stylish and comfortable. Meanwhile, Xreal’s 1S offered a wider field of view and Real 3D technology that converts flat content into 3 dimensions. This is the feature that bridges the conventional smart glasses and XR headset experiences.
The next-gen smart glasses blur the lines between smart glasses as we certainly know them and VR headsets. Some companies showcased lightweight augmented reality units, such as Xreal’s R1, with spatial computing and virtual screens. But put together, all these devices show how AI is central to the next generation of smart eyewear.
The purpose of smart glasses beyond AI
