An international supply chain exhibition in Beijing has put artificial intelligence at the center of its program this year, with manufacturers and semiconductor companies from around the world showcasing products aimed at practical use, including AI-equipped smart glasses that could reduce the need to look at a smartphone.
The Supply Chain Expo, now underway in the Chinese capital, introduced a dedicated AI exhibition area for the first time this year. Major companies including Nvidia and Alibaba are among the exhibitors, reflecting the growing focus on AI as a core part of future consumer and industrial products.
One of the most eye-catching displays was a large glasses-shaped installation surrounded by rows of eyewear. The products on show were smart glasses equipped with AI functions, allowing users to view video and use smartphone apps through the glasses.
The smart glasses can display map apps and translation apps, enabling users to access information without looking down at a mobile phone.
A representative of Hangzhou Qiuguo Jihua, a company developing smart glasses, said the device is designed to serve as a daily assistant. "Smart glasses will become an assistant in your life and help solve all kinds of difficulties you face in daily living," the representative said.
Sales of smart glasses in China reached 1.454 million units last year and are expected to more than double this year. Hangzhou Qiuguo Jihua plans to begin selling its product in September, but the company said production remains a challenge.
"There are some obstacles in production capacity," the representative said. "For example, the supply of semiconductors has not caught up."
Major Chinese IT companies are rushing to develop and produce semiconductors for AI applications, but supply has yet to meet demand.
The exhibition has also drawn major overseas semiconductor companies, including Nvidia and Intel of the United States and South Korea's SK Group. As AI products move rapidly toward practical use and demand expands in China, companies from around the world are seeking a foothold in the Chinese market.
Source: TBS
