China's AI smart glass, component makers capitalize on surging market demand (Voice_over) Chinese electronics manufacturers are reshaping their production capacity to meet demand for AI smart glasses as the eyewear gets another look from global tech giants including Meta, Google, and Apple. With AI assistance, smart glasses allow users to do things like order food, hail a ride, take photos and more. An electronics manufacturer in east China's Jiangxi Province said they introduced a completely new production line this year to keep up with demand. (Sound_bite) Chen Yongzheng, Electronics manufacturer: "This year, we saw a 400 percent increase in orders for smart glasses. Our factory has set up a new production line dedicated to the production of smart glasses. We also started to build a new workshop and streamlined the procedures to quickly expand our production capacity." (Voice_over) Because the electronic components for smart glasses need to be very small, Chinese tech firms are developing parts that are tailor-made for smart glasses. Like this miniature speaker about the size of your fingernail that protects sound quality and privacy. (Sound_bite) Qi Yu, Senior research and development engineer, Tech firm: "This is our first speaker product for smart glasses. It weighs only 1.45 grams, which is equivalent to the weight of a paper clip. Our tests showed that at a distance of 20 centimeters from the temples, nothing can be heard clearly, which better protects the privacy." (Voice_over) Data from iiMedia Research shows that about 3 million pairs of smart glasses were sold globally in 2024, with sales expected to be five times that this year for a market value of roughly 13.8 billion US dollars. [Restriction: No access Chinese mainland]