Anker Innovations has announced its first proprietary AI chip platform, called THUS, during Anker Day in New York. The new chip arrives with the company’s latest wireless audio products, the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds. According to Anker, THUS introduces a different approach to AI processing in consumer hardware by performing computation directly inside memory rather than moving data between memory and processor.
For decades, modern chips have relied on a hardware model where memory and computing blocks operate separately. While this design has powered everything from PCs to smartphones, AI workloads place increasing pressure on power efficiency because neural network models constantly move large amounts of data between storage and processing units. In small battery-powered products such as earbuds, that power overhead becomes a major limitation.
THUS is designed around a compute-in-memory, or CIM, architecture that places AI processing directly inside NOR Flash memory. Instead of repeatedly transferring model parameters across separate hardware sections, the model remains inside the memory where calculations take place. Anker says this method reduces power consumption associated with data movement and makes AI processing more practical for compact consumer devices.
The company also claims that its NOR Flash-based CIM design occupies significantly less physical space compared to SRAM-based alternatives, which could help in devices where board space and battery capacity are limited.
The first products powered by the THUS platform are the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro Max. Both models focus heavily on AI-assisted voice handling, adaptive noise cancellation, and personalized audio features.
Anker says the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro recently earned a Guinness World Records certification for achieving the highest objectively measured speech quality score for true wireless earbuds. The Liberty 5 Pro Max shares the same earbud hardware and is expected to deliver similar voice performance.
To support this, the earbuds use a 10-sensor system made up of eight MEMS microphones and two bone-conduction sensors. Traditional earbuds mainly depend on microphones to isolate speech from environmental noise. In the Liberty 5 Pro series, the microphones capture surrounding sound while bone-conduction sensors detect physical vibrations produced by the user’s voice. The THUS chip processes both signals using an on-device neural network to improve voice separation during calls, even in noisy environments.
The Liberty 5 Pro Max adds another layer of functionality through AI-powered meeting tools. Its charging case features a 1.78-inch AMOLED display and can record meetings without needing a connected smartphone. After recording, the system can generate transcripts, identify speakers, and create action summaries through the Soundcore app.
The case includes 512MB of onboard storage with support for up to 12 hours of local recording. Anker says recordings use AES-256 encryption, while data transmission is secured through TLS 1.3 protocols.
Noise cancellation is another key part of the Liberty 5 Pro lineup. Adaptive ANC 4.0 monitors external and in-ear sound conditions at up to 384,000 samples per second. The system dynamically adjusts cancellation levels across different noise frequencies and manages ear pressure to reduce fatigue during extended listening sessions. Anker rates the technology at up to twice the cancellation depth compared to the Liberty 4 Pro.
For audio tuning, the earbuds include HearID 5.0, which builds a personalized equalizer profile using an in-app hearing assessment. AI Sound Enhancement is also included, with Anker claiming the feature can restore audio information commonly lost during Bluetooth compression.
Both models support Bluetooth 6.1, three-device multipoint connectivity, Apple Find My, Google Fast Pair, and IP55 dust and water resistance. Battery life is rated at up to 6.5 hours with active noise cancellation enabled and up to 28 hours combined with the charging case.
The Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro is now available in Pearl Blue, Pearl White, Midnight Black, and Rose Gold. Pricing starts at SGD 239 in Singapore, RM 699 in Malaysia, and THB 5,999 in Thailand. The Liberty 5 Pro Max comes in Titanium Gold and Black, priced at SGD 299, RM 899, and THB 7,999 across the same markets.
The launch of the Liberty 5 Pro series also marks 15 years of Soundcore, with Anker highlighting its continued focus on audio products backed by an 18-month warranty.
