Haikou, April 18 (Xinhua) In the crowded exhibition hall of the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), AI-powered glasses were constantly drawing visitors. Among them was Mr. Ye (41), who works for a private company, and ordered the item immediately after trying it on.
With a simple voice command, the glasses translate spoken English into Chinese and project that text onto the lenses. “When the text appeared in front of me, it felt like a scene from a movie coming to life,” she said, adding that the device could make it easier to communicate with foreign customers.
The AI glasses were developed by Hangzhou-based company Rokid. Weighing 49 grams and resembling regular glasses, the device also supports photo and video capture, real-time navigation, and payments.
Xiang Wenjie, the company’s co-founder, said the company is focused on introducing AI technology into everyday scenarios and will continue to improve its products to improve the user experience.
The same trend was observed elsewhere in the fairgrounds. At the Hefei-based robotics company Xeris’ booth, a robotic arm moved along the shelves, identifying and sorting products. The company says the system works about three times more efficiently than human employees.
Company founder Ming Yuheng said the robots are designed to take over repetitive tasks, allowing retailers to reduce labor costs while increasing automation in this area.
From lightweight smart rings that monitor sleep apnea to AI-infused massage chairs that offer a more customized experience, this year’s CICPE provided a snapshot of how AI is being incorporated into the mundane moments of daily life across consumption, living, and business.
“AI is an empowerment, not a replacement,” said Yan Jia, head of public relations at Taobao and Tmall Group. Yang added that this technology is transforming the consumer market by changing both what people buy and how they experience products.
These developments are closely aligned with policy support. China is stepping up efforts to promote the integration of AI across sectors. The country announced its “AI+” action plan in 2025, emphasizing the upgrading of consumption through intelligent terminals and ecosystems. Full implementation of the AI+ initiative was also included in the country’s latest five-year plan (2026-2030).
This change is already driving new consumer demands. Data shows that AI-related home appliances and 3C products are emerging as fast-growing categories, with sales of smart products on JD.com increasing by more than 200 percent year-on-year in 2025.
Analysts say 2026 could be a pivotal year for the adoption of AI consumer devices.
Hong Yong, an expert at the Digital and Real Economy Integration Forum 50, said, “AI has gone beyond being a mere tool and has become an important force in reshaping the relationship between demand and supply of services, providing sustained momentum for expanding domestic demand.” ■
