OSO AI Earbuds: practical AI for people who build products
Most earbuds do music and calls. These do meetings, notes, and follow-ups. If your calendar is a wall of standups, customer calls, and design reviews, the OSO AI Earbuds add something useful: automatic transcriptions, summaries, and an assistant you can query on the fly.
After a week of use, they feel less like audio gear and more like a quiet productivity tool that lives in your ears.
Price and availability
The OSO AI Earbuds are available for $250 from the company's website and Amazon. That puts them in premium territory, competing with flagship buds on price while aiming at a different job: reduce admin during and after conversations.
Specs at a glance
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
- Drivers: 13mm
- Microphones: Dual beamforming with noise cancellation
- Battery: Up to 6 hours in-bud, ~15 additional hours in case
- Design: One-size, open-ear (no eartips)
- Extras: Touchscreen charging case with EQ presets and controls
What stands out
Meeting-ready AI that actually saves time
The headline feature is AI assistance built into the experience. The earbuds can transcribe and summarize conversations, meetings, calls, and lectures. They also offer a note-taker and a voice assistant, tapping models like ChatGPT and Claude to answer questions or recap key points.
Call recording is supported for later playback, which is great for product discovery and stakeholder syncs. Be mindful of consent laws in your region; a quick check of state and country rules goes a long way. For reference, here's a solid guide on recording laws by jurisdiction from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Can We Tape?
Touchscreen case that cuts phone fiddling
The cube-like charging case has a front-facing touchscreen. You can see time and battery levels for both buds and case, switch tracks, adjust volume, and pick EQ presets without touching your phone. There's a screen lock to prevent accidental taps in a pocket or bag.
Controls and design
Stems include touch controls for calls and volume, and you can remap them in the OSO app. The buds have a subtle black finish with silver accents that looks appropriate in a boardroom. The open-ear, one-size design is comfortable for many, but if you prefer a tight seal or have smaller ear canals, the fit may feel loose.
Where these fit in a product workflow
- Customer interviews: Capture verbatim quotes, then auto-summarize themes and next steps.
- Design reviews: Mark decisions in real time and pull a clean recap for the ticket or doc.
- Standups and sprint planning: Get bullet-point summaries and action items without a dedicated note-taker.
- Hiring calls: Keep conversations human in the moment, review the recording and summary afterward.
If you're building your AI skills and want to systemize how you use tools like these across roles, this resource can help: AI courses by job.
What I liked
- Transcription and summarization are quick and useful for meeting follow-ups.
- On-bud assistant handles simple queries and context checks during calls.
- Touchscreen case reduces context switching; EQ presets are a nice touch.
- Professional look that doesn't scream "gadget."
What needs work
- Fit isn't universal; the open-ear design won't seal for everyone.
- No stated water resistance, so this isn't a gym or rain-friendly option.
- Battery life is fine for a long meeting block, but frequent users will burn through the case by day's end.
- $250 is steep if you won't use the AI features often.
Audio and call quality
With 13mm drivers and beamforming mics, calls come through clearly and voices are easy to understand. Music playback is good enough for focus sessions, but the value here isn't audiophile tuning-it's what the AI does with your conversations.
Privacy and data notes
If your work involves sensitive information, confirm how transcripts and recordings are stored and processed. Check whether data is encrypted, where it's processed, and how long it's retained. Establish a consent habit for external calls; it protects you and builds trust.
Who should consider these
- Product managers, founders, and UX researchers who live in meetings and interviews.
- Leaders who want structured follow-ups without extra admin.
- Anyone who prefers open-ear comfort over in-ear seals.
Who should skip
- People who need a tight fit for running or noisy commutes.
- Anyone who prioritizes water resistance or gym use.
- Buyers focused strictly on music quality at this price.
Verdict
The OSO AI Earbuds are a strong first effort aimed squarely at knowledge workers. If transcription, summaries, and quick on-bud queries will save you time each week, the price is easier to justify. If you just want great sound and a secure fit, there are better options.
Rating: 3.5/5. Smart choice for meeting-heavy roles; less compelling for fitness or pure audio use.
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