# on‑device AI

2026: The Year AI Glasses Move from Lab to Main Street — China’s Devices Take Centre Stage at the Winter Olympics

Chinese firms showcased AI‑enabled AR smart glasses at the 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics as analysts declare 2026 a pivotal year for on‑device AI. Advances in model compression and edge compute, plus strengthening supply chains, make large‑model inference on consumer wearables commercially plausible, though adoption will depend on cost, battery life, form factor and regulatory scrutiny.