© 2018 SPIE. Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) composed of ZnTe-AgInTe2 solid solution ((AgIn)xZn2(1-x)Te2, ZAITe) were synthesized by a thermal reaction of corresponding metal acetates and a Te precursor in 1-dodecanethiol. TEM observations revealed that rod-shaped QDs with width of ca. 4 nm and length of ca. 16 nm were formed regardless of chemical composition of particles, x value. The absorption onset and the band-edge PL peak energy were enlarged from 1.13 to 1.53 eV and from 1.23 eV to 1.53 eV, respectively, with a decrease in x from 1.0 to 0.25. The observed optical properties of ZAITe QDs were largely tunable in the near-IR region , being suitable for optical applications.