Plaud, a company known for its AI note-taking devices, has launched its first AI-powered earbuds, the Plaud One Explorer Edition. The new wearable is designed to capture, transcribe, and summarize both in-person conversations and phone calls, leveraging a built-in eSIM for standalone 4G LTE connectivity. This connectivity allows the device to operate and process audio without relying on a connected smartphone or Wi-Fi network.
The Plaud One Explorer Edition is available for pre-order starting August 27, 2026, priced at $249.99. Shipments for the initial "Explorer Edition" are anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Each purchase includes $200 in Plaud Credits, intended to support the device's AI agent capabilities and other features within the Plaud Intelligence platform. Pre-orders are open in select markets, including the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.
The device can be worn as traditional earbuds or used through its charging case, which also functions as a recording unit. The case is equipped with its own microphone, allowing it to be placed on a table to record group discussions. The earbuds themselves feature three microphones and 16MB of local storage per earbud, totaling 32MB. Plaud states the earbuds can record for up to six hours for in-person conversations or three hours for phone calls, with the charging case extending the total recording time by up to 25 hours. The earbuds also offer Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, active noise cancellation up to 40dB, and 12mm dynamic drivers.
At the core of the Plaud One Explorer Edition is the Plaud Agent, which operates on the Plaud Intelligence platform. This AI agent is designed to understand the context of conversations and generate actionable insights. Plaud indicates that the agent can integrate with common productivity tools such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion, and Slack to automate tasks and produce work products like emails, documents, and presentations. The company emphasizes that the agent can draw connections across conversations occurring over days or weeks, building a continuous layer of context.
Plaud's entry into the earbud market with the Plaud One Explorer Edition marks a strategic move to offer a more hands-free interface for AI tools. The company previously released AI note-taking devices such as the NotePin and Note Pro, which are designed to attach to phones or be carried as card-style recorders. Nathan Xu, CEO and Co-founder of Plaud, stated that AI agents become effective when they comprehend the context of human intent, which he believes resides in conversation.
The Plaud One Explorer Edition's ability to record and process conversations independently raises considerations regarding privacy. Recording private conversations without the consent of all participants can be illegal in certain jurisdictions. Plaud recommends users inform others when recording. The device's design, which allows for discreet recording, may present challenges in ensuring explicit consent in all scenarios.
Plaud plans to roll out version 4.0 of its app in Q4 2026, which will bring updated intelligence functions to all Plaud products. While the Plaud One Explorer Edition functions out of the box, more advanced features and agentic capabilities will require the use of Plaud Credits, layered over existing subscription tiers for Plaud's services.