Global AI Glasses Shipments Surge 263% in H1 2026 Driven by Screenless Designs
According to Counterpoint Research, global AI smart glasses shipments grew 263% year-over-year in the first half of 2026. Display-less AI glasses accounted for 96% of total shipments, with Meta dominating this category with a 94% market share. The data underscores the rapid mainstream adoption of wearable AI hardware, showing that lightweight screenless audio-and-camera glasses are leading early market adoption. Furthermore, China has overtaken the US as the largest market for display-equipped AR AI glasses, driven by aggressive rollout from Chinese OEMs. While screenless models grew 258% YoY, display-equipped AR AI glasses experienced a 449% YoY growth spike, representing 4% of the market. Analysts noted that rising semiconductor component costs, especially memory, alongside growing privacy concerns, remain key potential headwinds.
## BACKGROUND
AI smart glasses generally split into two categories: screenless models that operate via audio, cameras, and cloud-based voice assistants, and AR AI glasses that include display optics to overlay visuals in the user's field of view. Screenless designs have gained faster commercial adoption because skipping display components reduces device weight, cost, and power consumption.