China is constructing a platform designed to launch new AI consumer products, extending a broader national push to weave artificial intelligence into the fabric of daily commerce. The effort builds on what’s being called the “AI Plus” initiative, an evolution of the country’s 2015 “Internet+” strategy that originally aimed to graft digital platforms onto traditional industries.
The wearables gold rush
Over 70 domestic companies are currently active in the AI wearables space, with smart glasses emerging as the category’s unlikely star. The roster of players includes Inmo and Rokid pushing dedicated smart glasses hardware, Xiaomi expanding its AI product lineup, and Alibaba, which unveiled its Qwen Glasses at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in early March 2026.
The Qwen Glasses feature real-time translation powered by Alibaba’s Qwen AI models, with pre-orders scheduled to begin on March 8, 2026.
The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo, held in April 2026, served as another showcase for how quickly AI-powered consumer technology is reaching the market.
