Anker launches its Thus AI chip, with its first application being the Soundcore flagship headphones

According to a report by The Verge on April 22, Anker has officially released its self-developed AI chip, Thus, positioning it as the world’s first neural network audio AI chip based on a memory computing (In-Memory Computing) architecture. The first batch of devices will be the flagship headphones that Soundcore is preparing to launch.

Thus Chip Architecture: Differences Between In-Memory Computing and Traditional AI Chips

According to a report by The Verge on April 22, when introducing the Thus chip, Anker CEO Steven Yang said that traditional AI chips separate model storage from computation, meaning that during each inference, the device must frequently transfer a large number of parameters. The Thus chip places the computation at the location of the model, eliminating the need to move parameters during each inference.

Anker says that this architecture allows the Thus chip to run complex computations with lower power consumption even in a smaller form factor. It can process millions of AI parameters, while headphone chips constrained by traditional size typically can only handle hundreds of thousands of parameters.

First Application: Soundcore Flagship Headphone Technical Specs and Launch Plan

According to a report by The Verge on April 22, the first application of the Thus chip will be Soundcore’s flagship headphones. Anker said it chose headphones as the launch device because the size constraints make them the most challenging device category for integrating an AI chip.

The upcoming Soundcore headphones will come with the following technical specifications:

· 8 MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) microphones

· 2 bone-conduction sensors

· A larger neural network powered by the Thus chip, for call noise reduction and human voice capture

According to the March pre-release information cited by The Verge, the first batch of headphones equipped with the Thus chip is expected to be the Liberty 5 Pro Max (priced at $229.99) and Liberty 5 Pro (priced at $169.99). Anker announced that it will reveal the complete details of the above products and other AI-driven features at the Anker Day event on May 21, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Anker Thus chip, and what are its technical highlights?

According to a report by The Verge on April 22, Thus is an AI chip developed by Anker in-house. It is positioned as the world’s first neural network audio AI chip based on a memory computing (In-Memory Computing) architecture. It places computation and model storage in the same location, which means lower power consumption and a smaller footprint than traditional AI chips, and it can process millions of AI parameters.

What device will be the first to use the Thus chip, and what will it cost?

According to the March pre-release information cited by The Verge, the first batch of headphones equipped with the Thus chip is expected to be the Liberty 5 Pro Max ($229.99) and Liberty 5 Pro ($169.99). They will be part of Soundcore’s flagship headphone lineup. Full specifications will be officially announced at the Anker Day event on May 21, 2026.

When will the Anker Day event be held, and what will be announced?

According to a report by The Verge on April 22, Anker announced it will hold an Anker Day event on May 21, 2026. At that time, it will reveal the full specifications of Soundcore headphones equipped with the Thus chip and details about other AI-driven feature functions.