China creates a sensation with a series of smart AI devices with multiple applications.

China creates a sensation with a series of smart AI devices with many applications - image 1 — The Rokid glasses feature a screen and camera that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR). Photo: GETTY

The artificial intelligence (AI) equipment market in China is booming. In the race for advanced technology with the US, the country's hardware capabilities are giving it a significant advantage.

“This advantage stems from the core foundation that China is a manufacturing nation. Currently, competition is primarily focused on software, models, devices, and applications. But soon, the race will shift to devices,” Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of 01.AI and Chairman of Sinovation Ventures, told CNBC .

Meta has sold millions of smart glasses since introducing the product in 2023. Meanwhile, China has caught up with the trend, with more than 70 companies in the country creating competing devices and applications that utilize AI.

Eyeglasses from companies like Inmo and Rokid are sold worldwide . Xiaomi and Alibaba are only present in China, and it is these tech giants that are aggressively developing AI features.

Alibaba's DingTalk, a workplace messaging platform, launched a credit card-sized AI device this year for taking work notes.

The DingTalk A1 can record, transcribe, summarize, and analyze speech from a distance of up to 8 meters (26 feet), equivalent to the length of a large conference room. This device is similar to the Plaud Note, which is currently available in the US.

In addition, the Chinese startup Le Le Gaoshang Education Technology recently launched a translation device called " Native Language Star " for Chinese parents with limited English proficiency to teach English to their children.

The device wraps around the user's neck like a travel pillow and extends down to the chest, featuring a gag-like component that covers the user's mouth and mutes their speech.

Priced at $420 at retail, the product incorporates AI from Tencent and iFlyTek and is advertised as a way to help Chinese parents speak English like native speakers.

Having so many hardware touchpoints enhances the ability to adopt and become familiar with the technology. Analysts say this also motivates companies to collect a massive amount of data compared to other countries.

"While you're still hearing people talking about the future of AI devices, the Chinese market is already flooded with AI devices," said Tom van Dillen, a technology consultant at Greenkern.

However, hardware advantages alone cannot guarantee victory in the AI race, especially if China's AI fails to attract global customers due to privacy or other issues, or may lag behind competitors in the US or elsewhere.

“To achieve the greatest success in the AI era, you have to become ‘Apple’s iPhone,’ that is, create superior and differentiated products. China’s advantage lies in its talented engineering and entrepreneurial workforce, enabling them to create the ‘iPhone of the AI age.’ However, this will still be a long race with a long way to go,” Lee emphasized.

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