According to the latest global smart eyewear market tracking report, AI glasses shipments, including both display-free models and AR/AI variants, climbed 263% year-over-year in the first half of 2026. The more affordable and lighter display-free AI glasses continue to lead the market, accounting for 96% of all shipments. Looking ahead, the sector is expected to sustain robust momentum, with the next phase of expansion likely fueled by smart eyewear devices.
Display-free AI glasses refer to models without see-through displays, such as Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, Xiaomi AI glasses, and Alibaba's Qwen AI glasses G1. In contrast, AR/AI glasses come equipped with the necessary displays and optical components to enable optical see-through experiences, with most current models utilizing waveguide lenses; notable examples include Rokid glasses, Meta Ray-Ban Display, and Alibaba's Qwen glasses S1.
Meta's shipments grew 260% year-over-year in the first half, driven by the launch of new Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, the introduction of budget-friendly Meta eyewear, expansion into new markets, and broader retail promotional campaigns. Peter Richardson, Vice President of Research, noted that the global competitive landscape remains largely stable, with Meta further solidifying its dominance by capturing approximately 94% of worldwide shipments during this period.
In the display-free AI glasses segment, Meta and EssilorLuxottica are pursuing more aggressive expansion strategies, fueling growth across North America, Western Europe, Latin America, India, and emerging markets in Asia-Pacific. Challenges for the AI glasses market include rising semiconductor prices, particularly for memory components, as well as growing public concerns over privacy and camera-related issues. These headwinds may temper growth in the short term, but expectations remain that the market will stay on a strong trajectory as Meta, Google, Samsung, and Apple ramp up their investments.
The next growth phase is set to be driven by smart eyewear, which delivers more proactive, context-aware experiences, benefiting from advancements in integrated software, operating systems, voice interaction, and ultra-low-power sensing and computing technologies. Additionally, to address camera-related privacy concerns, a wider variety of AI glasses is anticipated, including camera-free AI audio glasses and models equipped with cameras used primarily for contextual understanding rather than photography or video recording.