Few shoppers want AI in headphones, but brands keep adding it

Almost nobody buys earbuds or headphones for the AI. Tom's Guide ran a three-week poll and got 200 responses. Only five readers said they look for AI features. Sound quality got 135 votes. That gap is a useful reality check for anyone shopping now.

What the poll found

Sound quality was the top pick by far. Noise cancelling, often called ANC, came second with 27 votes, or 13%. Call quality and "other" tied for third at 6%. Battery life got 4%. AI features came last. The Tom's Guide writer had guessed AI might reach 10%.

The article asks why brands such as Apple, Samsung and Soundcore keep adding AI anyway. It floats a few ideas, including fear of being left behind in the AI race. The part of the story available here does not give a firm answer.

When AI features are not ready

The clearest example is Anker's Soundcore Space 2 Pro headphones. They are sold with what Anker calls the "world's first neural-net compute-in-memory AI audio chip." In plain terms, that is a chip built to run AI that recognizes sounds, such as speech and background noise, without draining a small battery.

The companion app shows a large AI chatbot tab that appears able to adjust the sound in real time. According to Anker, only the "Hey Anka" wake phrase and basic voice chats work for now. Voice controls, audio playback and text-based interactions in the app are still in development. Anker says it is looking into why those features appear in the app.

The headphones still earned 3.5 stars, which Tom's Guide calls "very good." Sound, calls and noise cancelling are all great. The reviewer says they would have scored 4.5 stars if they had been sold as simple, comfortable headphones with strong noise cancelling.

When AI does earn praise

The same reviewer says working AI is a plus. Anker's Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max can accurately transcribe calls and meetings into the app. It got four stars and a Recommended badge. Live Translation was also praised on the AirPods Max 2 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, as long as it works.

At the other end is the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 SE earbuds, released in October 2026. They also got four stars and a Recommended badge for supreme sound, comfort and excellent battery life. Their noise cancelling is mediocre. They cost $149, the same as the Galaxy Buds 4. The AirPods 5 are listed at $129 or $149.

What to do

• Rank sound quality and noise cancelling first, as most readers in the poll did.
• Treat AI as a bonus only if it works today, not if it is promised later.
• Check that the app features shown in screenshots are actually available before paying extra.