China’s AR Glasses Go Global via Alibaba—Is U.S. Consumer Data the Next Target?
As China’s Rokid launches its AR Spatial glasses globally through Alibaba’s AliExpress platform, U.S. consumers may be unknowingly stepping into Beijing’s next sphere of influence—this time through wearable tech.
Rokid, a Hangzhou-based company, is offering its new smart glasses at a discount during AliExpress’s “BigSave” 618 event. Though marketed as sleek entertainment and productivity tools—with features like “cinema mode” and triple-desktop display—the real concern lies behind the lenses: data, surveillance, and China’s expanding tech empire.
While American companies like Apple and Meta emphasize user privacy and face intense regulatory scrutiny, Chinese firms operate under a fundamentally different system—one that legally compels companies to hand over user data to the state. With AR glasses gaining access to location data, voice input, facial recognition, and surrounding environments, the risk of mass data extraction becomes dangerously real.
Rokid isn’t alone. Chinese competitors like Xreal, backed by Google’s Android XR platform, are also entering the U.S. and global markets. But the infrastructure enabling this push—AliExpress, Cainiao logistics, and Alibaba’s global network—is controlled by entities deeply embedded in the Chinese state apparatus. Buying a pair of AR glasses could now mean exporting your personal environment directly into China’s surveillance ecosystem.
Rokid’s U.S. rollout is being marketed as an innovative leap, but behind the product is a broader strategy: normalize Chinese tech in daily Western life, reduce reliance on U.S.-made devices, and increase global dependency on Beijing-linked platforms. According to IDC, China’s AR/VR market is expected to grow over 40% annually through 2029. That exponential growth won’t stay domestic—it’s coming for American homes, offices, and faces.
The U.S. must take this seriously. Regulatory bodies should closely examine Chinese smart devices sold through global e-commerce platforms. Laws must address not just apps but hardware embedded with data collection capabilities, especially when tied to authoritarian regimes.
This isn’t just about gadgets. It’s about sovereignty in the digital age. As the Chinese Communist Party sharpens its tools of influence, Americans must ask: What price are we paying for cheaper tech—and who’s watching on the other side?
