AI glasses have hit the global market, but can they carve out a defensible niche? Plus, we look at Indonesia delaying a new tax on ecommerce sellers.
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IN FOCUS

  • Wanted: a use case for AI wearables
  • Ecommerce sellers In Indonesia dodge tax bullet, for now
  • Google DeepMind reshuffles leadership amid AI race struggles

Hello reader,

I recall being wowed by a keynote speaker at a conference a few months ago. The speaker was confident, her delivery was smooth, and she didn't gaze at the teleprompter once - or at least so I thought.

Later, I found out that she was wearing a pair of smart glasses. On some pairs, users can display floating green text discreetly via a teleprompter feature, which allows them to maintain natural eye contact with an audience.

That's just one emerging use case of smart glasses, which are trying to break into the mainstream through features like real-time translation, navigation, video, and other AI-assistive features through voice commands.

Zoro Shao, Rokid's vice president and general manager of overseas business, tells me in my latest story that he believes these smart glasses can someday replace smartphones. I'm not fully convinced that will happen anytime soon, though.

I myself have tried on various pairs of smart glasses from several brands. Their use cases are compelling, but since I don't wear prescription glasses daily, I am hesitant to invest in a pair I might not get much wear out of.

This could explain why brands like lifestyle gaming firm Razer are prototyping AI-enabled devices in a different form factor: headphones.

Do smart glasses or smart headsets have a higher chance of becoming the next breakout device after the smartwatch? Read on to find out.

Melissa Goh, senior editor


TOP STORY

AI wearables chase payments, pets, and the perfect use case

AI glasses have gained traction, marked by a 320% increase in units shipped worldwide in 2025 compared to 2024, as reported by market research firm Omdia. But to truly become a hardware success, the segment has significant hurdles to clear.

With AI products tied to subscriptions and glasses limited by short battery life, replacing smartphones - as Shao believes AI glasses will do - could be some way off.


SPOTLIGHT

Indonesia's ecommerce sellers get a tax reprieve

More than 4.4 million ecommerce sellers in the country have enjoyed a temporary reprieve from a new tax. Indonesia's tax authority said it had delayed the new income tax on domestic online sellers through ecommerce platforms until November 1, from the previously scheduled August 1.

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa noted that the delay was partly to boost purchasing power and economic growth, which has been slowing in the country.

That slowdown is rippling well beyond ecommerce sellers, as this story we published in June talks about. Logistics, beauty, and AI startups across the archipelago are also being forced to adapt.

How will ecommerce sellers pivot once the tax is enforced? Watch this space.


FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Will cars drive the future of AI? This Chinese company thinks so

Glasses represent one of the key hardware bets tech companies hope will spark the first AI consumer breakthrough. Cars are another, as discussed in this podcast summary from February featuring Yin Qi, chairman of Chinese AI firm StepFun.

Whereas AI-enabled phones or glasses are mostly just screens people look at, Qi argues that a car surrounds the user and creates a perfect laboratory for computing all around them. This makes for an environment where AI assistants can manage many tasks simultaneously, rather than simply providing a built-in teleprompter, for example.


TRENDING NEWS

1️⃣ Google DeepMind CEO steps down in Alphabet AI reshuffle

Demis Hassabis will become Google parent company Alphabet's chief scientist and Google DeepMind's chairman. These changes come as the tech giant struggles to keep up in the AI race.

2️⃣ Nadiem Makarim cleared to call 5 witnesses in Chromebook appeal

Jakarta's anti-corruption court previously sentenced the Gojek co-founder to 10 years in prison. At the appeal, his lawyers argued that the lower court had erred by treating Google as a beneficiary in the Chromebook procurement case.

3️⃣ Microsoft reports $24.1b in OpenAI-linked revenue

The figure means OpenAI-related revenue accounted for more than half of Microsoft's AI business for the fiscal year ended June 2026. In its most recent earnings report, Microsoft provided no update on its total AI sales.

4️⃣ Elev8, Claypond lead $120m round for Indian EV startup River

The Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler startup says it sells about 6,000 vehicles a month through more than 75 stores across India. It aims to establish a new factory and grow to more than 200 stores by March 2027.

5️⃣ Indosat seeks $2b in loans for advanced chips

Indonesia's second-largest mobile carrier makes 84% of its revenue from mobile connectivity. This suggests that the chip purchase is part of a bid to diversify beyond its core telecom business.


THE BLUEPRINT FOR PRODUCTION AI

In conversation with Google DeepMind's JJ Geewax

JJ Geewax, director of applied AI at Google DeepMind, understands that even the most advanced models are only as good as the infrastructure they run on. Having spent 15 years designing massive-scale systems at WhatsApp, Meta, and Google, JJ brings a deep practitioner's perspective to the brutal challenges of real-world deployment.

As the author of the book API Design Patterns, he understands the technical and strategic assumptions that often cause enterprise AI initiatives to fail before they even begin.

Join us this September in Singapore to learn a road map for navigating operational realities and moving your AI initiatives from the lab into production at scale.

Secure your access here.


PRESS PEEKS

The following press releases were published as they were received, without any editing from the Tech in Asia team. You, too, can publish your own press release on our site by simply filling out this form. Our team will get back to you by the next business day.

  • AutomationSG - Nodeflux Announces Global Expansion Initiative, Unveiling ATHENA Enterprise AI in 2025 and SAR Satellite Analytics in 2026: AI pioneer Nodeflux expands globally, launching ATHENA Sovereign AI in 2025 and a SAR Satellite Image Analysis platform in 2026.
  • ADA - ADA acquires Algonomy, strengthening its intelligent growth platform for a fully agentic experience: ADA acquires Algonomy, expanding its AI capabilities to deliver intelligent, agentic customer experiences at scale.
  • Nodeflux - AutomationSG launches TIA-Ready Framework for trusted industrial artificial intelligence: An industry-led readiness and recognition pathway to support responsible adoption of AI in automation and robotics.

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