Consumer-Electronics Makers Bet on AI Agents as Phones, Glasses Compete

The consumer electronics industry is pivoting toward AI-agent-driven hardware capable of continuous perception, as technology companies debate whether smartphones or smart glasses will emerge as the primary personal AI device.

Industry executives and researchers gathered at a Caixin roundtable on Monday to discuss the next stage of the terminal market. The shift comes as global shipments of traditional consumer devices — including personal computers, tablets and smartphones — have fallen sharply this year amid rising prices, according to Wang Jiping, vice president at IDC China.