Anker has unveiled the Thus chip, a custom silicon designed to bring local artificial intelligence (AI) to audio devices and beyond. This neural-net compute-in-memory AI audio chip is expected to first appear in Soundcore's upcoming flagship earbuds, promising significant advancements in call noise cancellation and overall sound quality.

The Thus chip’s unique architecture enables it to perform complex computations more efficiently than traditional chips, making it a powerful solution for smaller devices. By integrating the computation directly into the memory where the model resides, Anker claims that this design will vastly increase computing power without sacrificing size or battery life.

The new technology is particularly exciting in earbuds, which face unique challenges due to their small form factor and constant use. Anker’s chip can handle several million parameters, compared to just a few hundred thousand in previous designs, allowing for more sophisticated AI features like better noise cancellation and clearer voice recognition.

While the initial rollout is focused on audio devices, there are hints that this chip could be used across Anker’s product line. The company plans to reveal full details at its Anker Day event on May 21, where we might see the Thus chip in action.

This development marks a significant step towards making AI more accessible and efficient for everyday use. But as with any new technology, it remains to be seen whether Anker can truly revolutionize not just its own products but also set a new standard for the industry.