The global Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is set to take place from January 7 to 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. This event is considered a bellwether for the tech industry and serves as an important platform for showcasing the latest technological achievements and innovative products. This year, with the continuous rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) applications, AI glasses are expected to be a highlight of the exhibition.

Numerous companies are already gearing up for the event, with Sony, Thunderbird Innovation, and DPVR among those announcing new AI glasses products. Additionally, NVIDIA recently released a new patent aimed at revolutionizing the AR glasses sector by addressing the challenges of making AR devices lighter and improving display quality. These developments indicate that AI glasses are rapidly advancing to the forefront of the market. From recent trends in the U.S. stock market regarding AI glasses concept stocks, one of the world's largest smart glasses suppliers, Vuzix (VUZI.US), has seen a cumulative rise of 310% over the past month (30 trading days). The first stock in holographic AR, WiMi Hologram Cloud (WIMI.US), has increased by over 110%. Other leading companies in wearable technology and module development, including Kopin Corporation (KOPN.US), laser scanning and projection technology firm MicroVision (MVIS.US), and IC design company Himax Technologies (HIMX.US), have seen increases ranging from 45% to 74%.

（Source: uSMART HK）

Currently, the market widely believes that AI glasses may become the next phenomenon-level smart terminal. According to a report by the XR industry research institution Wellsenn XR, annual sales of AI smart glasses are expected to grow rapidly by 2025, entering a high-speed development phase after 2030, with sales potentially reaching 1.4 billion units by 2035. Additionally, IDC predicts that the global market penetration rate of AI glasses will reach 20% by 2030. Goldman Sachs analysts have noted that the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, launched in collaboration with Meta and Ray-Ban, have seen a surge in popularity, with Sensor Tower data indicating that downloads of its companion app increased by over 200% year-on-year in October 2023. This phenomenon shows that advancements in AI technology are making smart glasses a new battleground for major tech companies.

Looking ahead, the competition for AI+AR glasses is expected to intensify by 2025. Tech giants such as Xiaomi, Samsung, and Meta are actively positioning themselves, planning to launch new AI+AR series products. Xiaomi Group is anticipated to release its next-generation AI glasses in the second quarter of 2025, aiming for an expected shipment volume of “over 300,000 units,” directly competing with Meta's Ray-Ban Meta. In terms of concept stocks, several AI glasses-related companies are gaining attention. For instance, Vuzix, a leading supplier of smart glasses, has announced that it will showcase its latest waveguide and smart glasses reference design at CES. Additionally, WiMi Hologram Cloud has not only developed its own AI+AR holographic glasses but has also launched several innovative products based on AI+AR technology, demonstrating its strong potential in this field.

Moreover, Kopin Corporation has extensive coverage in the military AR/VR sector, providing core display technology for F35 fighter jets. Innovative Eyewear is the first company to launch smart glasses that support ChatGPT, with its Lucyd Lyte 2.0 allowing users to interact with ChatGPT through a voice interface, showcasing the promising integration of AI and smart glasses. Among solution providers, NVIDIA, Himax Technologies, and MicroVision are also actively advancing related technologies. Himax will showcase low-latency 3D glasses-free display vision application solutions at CES, further enhancing the technological standards in the AR/VR market.

Overall, 2025 is poised to be a year full of opportunities and challenges for the AI glasses market. A report from CITIC Securities points out that the AI glasses sector is still in a thematic investment phase. If key products from major manufacturers emerge as hits, it is expected to shift investment focus towards fundamentals. Although smart glasses technology has not yet fully matured, and several technical challenges remain to be addressed, the market's potential and prospects undoubtedly attract significant attention and investment from various companies.

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（Source: uSMART HK）