AI Daily: Alibaba launches new Quark AI glasses series in China

Catch up on the top artificial intelligence news and commentary by Wall Street analysts on publicly traded companies in the space with this daily recap compiled by The Fly:

NEW QUARK AI GLASSES: Alibaba (BABA) launched its new Quark AI Glasses series, including three variants of the flagship dual-display S1 and three versions of the camera-first G1, available in multiple frame colors and lens options. “All models are deeply integrated with Alibaba’s advanced AI model Qwen and its newly launched AI application Qwen App, enabling users to access AI assistance anytime via voice commands like ‘Hello Qwen’ or through touch controls,” the company’s Alizila news site stated. The new Quark AI Glasses are now available for purchase on major Chinese e-commerce platforms including Tmall, JD.com and Douyin, and are rolling out in 604 partner optical stores across 82 cities nationwide in China, Alizila noted. Meta Platforms (META) is among companies that also market AI smart glasses.

AI REGULATION: For the first time, Washington is getting close to deciding how to regulate artificial intelligence. And the fight that’s brewing isn’t about the technology, it’s about who gets to do the regulating, TechCrunch’s Rebecca Bellan reports. In the absence of a meaningful federal AI standard that focuses on consumer safety, states have introduced dozens of bills to protect residents against AI-related harms, including California’s AI safety bill SB-53 and Texas’s Responsible AI Governance Act, which prohibits intentional misuse of AI systems. The tech giants and buzzy startups born out of Silicon Valley argue such laws create an unworkable patchwork that threatens innovation, the author notes. House lawmakers are reportedly trying to use the National Defense Authorization Act to block state AI laws. At the same time, a leaked draft of a White House executive order also demonstrates strong support for preempting state efforts to regulate AI.

APPLE M PROCESSOR: Intel (INTC) is expected to begin shipping Apple’s (AAPL) lowest-end M processor as early as 2027, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says. Via X, he added, “There have long been market rumors that Intel could become an advanced-node foundry supplier to Apple, but visibility around this had remained low. My latest industry surveys, however, indicate that visibility on Intel becoming an advanced-node supplier to Apple has recently improved significantly… In absolute terms, order volumes for the lowest-end M processor are relatively small and virtually no material impact on TSMC’s (TSM) fundamentals or its technology leadership over the next several years. However, the signaling and trend implications for Apple and Intel are meaningful: 1. For Apple: In addition to showing strong support for the Trump administration’s strongly promoted ‘Made in USA’ policy, Apple, while clearly expected to remain highly dependent on TSMC’s advanced nodes for the foreseeable future, still needs to secure a second source to meet supply-chain management requirements. 2. For Intel: The significance of winning Apple’s advanced-node orders far exceeds the direct revenue and profit contribution from this business. Although Intel will still be unable to compete head-to-head with TSMC over the next several years, this suggests that the worst may soon be over for the IFS business. Looking ahead, the 14A node and beyond could capture more orders from Apple and other tier-one customers, turning Intel’s long-term outlook more positive.”