New earphones let you chat with AI without your phone

A company called Plaud has launched new earphones called the Plaud One that work a bit like Apple's AirPods, but with a major twist: their charging case can connect to the internet on its own.

The case uses something called an eSIM—think of it as a tiny SIM card built right into the device, similar to what's inside your phone. This means the case can make calls and connect to AI assistants (computer programs designed to have conversations and answer questions) without needing your phone nearby. You can talk to these AI agents just by speaking into your earphones, and the case handles everything.

Beyond just chatting, the earphones can also record phone calls, and the case itself can record conversations happening around you or take notes. It's designed for people who want to capture information hands-free—whether that's remembering what was said in a meeting or keeping notes while you're on the go.

For everyday users, this means a new way to interact with AI without staring at a screen. Whether that's truly useful or just another gadget depends on how well it works in real life and whether you actually want your earphone case listening and recording conversations around you.