Rokid, the Chinese company specializing in AI glasses and augmented reality, is positioning itself as a leading competitor against Ray-Ban Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) and making a calculated move into the most competitive technological arena in the United States – armed with government support, a rapidly growing developer base, and a multi-LLM strategy that no competitor has matched yet.
The Chinese response to Ray-Ban Meta is eyeing the United States
Rokid is not just making an appearance in the American market – it is taking it by storm. The company’s AI-compatible glasses work on a multi-model platform that integrates ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek simultaneously. Rokid is actively seeking partnerships with major American optical retail chains and vision insurance providers, according to the global CEO Zoro Shao.
Shao stated, “AI glasses must first be an exceptional pair of glasses,” emphasizing a shift from the previous gadget-first approach that derailed previous smart glasses initiatives.
Meta recently launched two new smart glasses, available for pre-order in the US starting at $499, while Rokid’s flagship AI glasses Style are priced at $299, explicitly considered a warning shot rather than a profit center.
A government-supported capital laid the foundation
Before turning to American consumers, Rokid secured significant financial backing at home. In 2024, the company raised 500 million yuan – around $70 million – in a funding round led by the government of the city of Hefei, a manufacturing hub for the automotive and semiconductor industries near Shanghai.
This capital was directed towards advancing Rokid’s AR technology in the industrial sector, where its glasses have gained traction in energy and manufacturing environments. The devices are designed to improve safety inspections and reduce worker training time – putting Rokid in competition not only with consumer tech players but also with wearable enterprise solutions, including Ray-Ban Meta.
Big Tech joins the race
The prospect of Google or OpenAI launching competing smart glasses is a question that Rokid often faces. Shao’s response is measured but precise: the entry of Big Tech into this category only confirms the market thesis.
Rokid’s differentiation, he argues, is based on over a decade of expertise in optical display and hardware integration – and notably being the only company in the world whose AI glasses natively support multiple rival LLMs at the same time, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Qwen, and DeepSeek. Rather than locking developers into a single AI ecosystem, Rokid positions itself as the first open platform for AI glasses.
“We invite industry members to join us in building the AI glasses ecosystem,” stated Shao. “We remain true to an open and win-win philosophy rather than using exclusive contracts to limit growth.”
30,000 developers are creating on American soil
Rokid has 30,000 developers on its platform worldwide, with foreign developers – primarily from the US and Europe – now representing around 30% of this base. A significant portion, according to Shao, is building applications on OpenAI and Anthropic models, effectively making the American AI infrastructure a cornerstone of Rokid’s product ecosystem.
The Agent Store, which hosts third-party AI applications for the glasses, is currently in what Shao calls a “maturation phase” with no immediate monetization plans. The company is rather focused on app diversity and user retention as primary success metrics – a patient approach reflecting early strategies of smartphone app stores.
One million units. Twenty percent market share. A chance
Rokid currently claims the top global share in the AI glasses market with display. For 2026 and 2027, the company aims for annual global sales exceeding one million units, with the ambition to capture around 20% of the broader category of autonomous AI glasses by 2028.
International expansion is already underway: the company set sales records in Japan and is set to officially enter Germany next month. The US, however, remains the strategic gem. “It has a highly mature developer ecosystem, a strong AI infrastructure, and an active creator community,” said Shao – making it the market worth conquering for Rokid.
Regarding data security, Shao stated that all user’s private data, including photos and videos, are processed on the device and are never uploaded to external servers without explicit permission. He added that the company maintains an open dialogue with American regulators, including the FTC. Rokid’s ability to turn its early positioning into a sustainable American market share will depend as much on retail execution and regulatory trust as on the technology itself.
