In some circles, the rise of artificial intelligence has created a drive to invent entirely new devices that invest deeply in this technology, but look and function differently than any product ever before.
They range from head-mounted XR devices such as headphones and glasses feathers, Necklace, Phone accessories and it doesn’t matter Mysterious product Former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI are being developed in secret.
But what if, in looking for these new devices, we forgot that the ultimate AI form factor is something we all already have? In fact, it may be that the best way to use AI is to use technology that dates back to the 1800s.
I’m talking about headphones.
There’s been no shortage of progress in personal audio over the years, but the integration of artificial intelligence into headphones is breathing new life into it, said Dino Bekis, vice president of wearables at chipmaker Qualcomm. We’re starting to see this with devices like Apple’s new ones. AirPods Pro3.
The effect of AI in headphones will be twofold, says Bekis. First, it will build on improvements we’ve already seen, like the ability to easily switch between active noise reduction, transparency and other listening modes.
Instead of having to control it manually, the headphones themselves will handle everything in an increasingly dynamic way. Sensors on board equipped with artificial intelligence can better read and understand the environment around us.
Bekis says your headphones can alert you if someone is trying to get your attention by hearing your name while you’re calling them, even if you’re listening to music with ANC on. If you are talking on the phone and walking on a busy street, you may be alerted to road hazards, sirens or someone who may be walking behind you.
But where he believes AI headsets can really shine is in the interaction with AI agents. These personal, assistant-like versions of AI will interact autonomously with our devices and services on our behalf.
There is no more natural way to communicate with them than through conversation, he says, and the headset’s high-quality microphones and speakers ensure clear and effective communication.
“Headsets are basically a technology of the past that has suddenly been reinvented and will become the primary way to communicate with officers in the future,” says Bekis.
Headphone makers, discover AI
Not all headsets are intended to become wearable AI assistants and the situation is not the same everywhere. Many traditional headphone manufacturers “focused primarily on the quality and capacity of the audio files,” says Bekis.
Meanwhile, Bekis says Mark Levinson, Harman’s premium audio brand, is one of the headphone makers Qualcomm is working with to integrate artificial intelligence into its products. And leading are smartphone manufacturers who also offer audio products in their range.
Just look at the new features that Samsung, Google and Apple have added to their headphones in recent years. In addition to adaptive audio, companies are starting to add specific AI capabilities. Google’s Pixel Buds 2 are designed not only as an audio device, but also as hardware with the company’s Gemini AI assistant at its core (for example, you can say “Hey Google” to wake up Gemini and ask it to summarize your emails).
In September, Apple introduced AI-powered live translation with AirPods Pro 3. AirPods analyze what someone is saying to you and play it back for you in the language of your choice. They also record and translate your speech, so you can show the other person a transcription in their language on your phone screen.
It also appears that Apple is looking for ways to further exploit the AI potential of its headphone line. A Bloomberg report earlier this month suggested that with the next version of AirPods Pro, the company could introduce AI-powered infrared cameras that can activate and respond to gestures.
It’s clear that smartphone makers realize the potential of headphones as more than just audio products, just as they once realized that the phone could be more than just a calling device. They can even turn headphones and earphones into what I think could be the ultimate wearable AI device.
Why headphones?
The main selling point of headphones over other new AI-based wearable technologies is their popularity – who doesn’t have at least one pair? (My feeling is that everyone should have at least one three different styleseach with their strengths.) The same thing happens with glasses as with watches.
Yes, they are common and well-known, but if you don’t already use them regularly, the addition of AI probably won’t convince you. The glasses in particular have some disadvantages, including the battery life. Added to this is the difficulty of combining the technology with corrective lenses and privacy issues caused by the additional cameras.
Even after more than a decade of efforts, tech companies continue to struggle to create smart glasses that are as stylish and comfortable to wear as their non-smart counterparts (smart glasses). Ray Ban is perhaps the only exception to the rule).
Smart watches and fitness bands have become more convenient, but many people still find them uncomfortable to sleep on. The sensors they contain are too far from our face, where we receive most of our sensory information, to record the world around us in forensic detail. You can’t give us sensory feedback without us looking at a screen. The same applies to rings and other ornaments.
No device can compete with headphones, and especially hearing aids, when it comes to proximity to an important sensory organ that can input and output complex sensory data. They were and still are discreet, easy to take off and on, don’t draw too much power and are demanding in terms of charging frequency.
“Social acceptance is also crucial, and headphones will eventually become incredibly mainstream,” said CCS Insight analyst Leo Gebbie.
They do not create clear barriers between you and the world you experience. And while they’re obvious, they don’t tend to confuse people for fear of capturing their image, and you don’t have to learn how to use them, says Gebbie.
“Let’s compare that to something like smart glasses, where I think there’s a whole new set of user behaviors that have to be learned in terms of precisely interacting with that device,” he says. “There’s also a kind of social contract that’s always been one of the biggest obstacles for me, at least with smart glasses.”
Plus, the headphones get smarter over time without most of us realizing it.
This invisible development is the most tangible expression I’ve ever seen of the widespread belief among technology leaders that AI should be a subtle environmental force that permeates our lives as unobtrusively as possible.
Headsets are an established product that is constantly growing, making them the safest option for companies that want as many people as possible to interact with AI through wearable technology.
Various predictions, especially those of Insider in social media AND Mordor’s intelligence serviceThe global headphone market is expected to exceed $100 billion in the early 2030s. Mordor, in turn, supplies the market for smart glasses. will reach $18.4 billion over the same period, one of the highest estimates I found.
Companies are constantly looking for new revenue streams and are therefore busy exploring new types of AI devices, says Gebbie. But he adds, “Headphones definitely seem like a safer option because it’s a form factor that people are familiar with.”
It may be that no wearable device will determine our coexistence with artificial intelligence, and if it does, it will be a device of our choosing.
But rather than reinvent the wheel, I strongly suspect that companies that tap into the potential of headphones will see these once audio-centric devices flourish in the age of artificial intelligence. And maybe that’s just a personal preference, but that’s fine by me.