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Starkey today unveiled its newest flagship hearing aid platform, Omega AI, before a packed audience of about 600 hearing care professionals gathered at the Hilton Minneapolis Downtown for Starkey Days 2025. The launch—introduced by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, along with Drs. Achin Bhowmik, Sara Burdak, and Dave Fabry—marks the company’s most ambitious leap yet in adding deep-learning directional sound processing, smart and durable hardware, and health-focused innovation.
“When excellence drives every process—innovation, quality, service, and delivery—great things happen,” said Sawalich in a press statement. “Since being the first to introduce AI technology in hearing aids, Starkey has continued to set the speed of innovation for the industry. We are once again excited to push the boundaries of science and raise the bar of expectation for hearing professionals and their patients. Omega AI is an engineering feat only Starkey could accomplish, and it reflects our unwavering commitment to creating advanced technology that connects people back to their lives.”
Omega AI essentially adds DNN-based directional sound processing, generative AI assistance, and proactive wellness tracking to the Edge AI platform, which had already established itself as a top-performing prescription hearing aid.
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At the heart of Omega AI is DNN 360 Directionality, which Starkey describes as the world’s first deep neural network–powered directionality system. The technology continuously adapts to real-world environments, allowing users to move seamlessly between conversations from any direction while preserving a sense of natural spatial awareness. In the company’s testing, Omega AI reportedly delivered up to an 8 dB improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a 28% gain in speech intelligibility in difficult listening environments compared to previous Starkey models. It was also found to excel over all competing products by as much as 6.5 dB in speech-in-noise measures.
Importantly, these gains in clarity and spatial realism are achieved without sacrificing performance or durability. Omega AI maintains the company’s impressive 51-hour battery life, says Starkey.
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Perhaps the most forward-looking innovation in Omega AI is TeleHear AI, a generative AI-powered tool that helps users troubleshoot common issues in real-time. According to Starkey, the system can predict and resolve problems with 93% accuracy, and 84% of patients who have used it reported meaningful benefits. TeleHear AI represents a significant step toward a future where hearing aids not only adapt to their environment but also autonomously address user needs.
The new platform also expands the ecosystem of intelligent connectivity that has become central to Starkey’s identity. Streaming through the StarLink Edge TV Streamer now begins automatically and resumes effortlessly after interruptions, eliminating one of the most common patient frustrations.
Omega AI’s exterior design has been re-engineered for everyday resilience and ease of use. New LED indicators on the RIC RT and mRIC R models provide instant visual confirmation of both power and Bluetooth connectivity, introducing a new “Find My Hearing Aid” functionality that allows wearers to locate misplaced devices—an industry first.
The company also reports a significant improvement in the RIC R model, with waterproofing tested to last 10 times longer than previous coatings under the most demanding conditions. Custom Omega AI products have been similarly strengthened, incorporating a new shell resin that is 20 times tougher than before while still allowing easy modifications by hearing professionals. These refinements reflect Starkey’s continued investment in real-world reliability and patient-centered design.
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Continuing its leadership in “Healthable” hearing technology, Starkey has equipped Omega AI with two major new wellness features available through the My Starkey app. Balance Builder offers a series of guided at-home exercises designed to help users improve stability and coordination—an extension of the company’s longstanding focus on fall-risk management. Starkey previously worked with Stanford University to create and validate its unique Balance Assessment feature.
Meanwhile, the new Respiratory Rate Monitor is another industry first, automatically tracking resting breaths per minute in the background without any measurable impact on battery performance. Together, these tools broaden the role of hearing aids as proactive health companions, integrating hearing and wellness in a way few other manufacturers have attempted.
Starkey has also rolled out a significant software update, ProFit 2025.1, in tandem with the Omega AI platform. The update includes Session Notes, a new feature that tracks patient-reported issues alongside provider adjustments for better follow-up care, as well as Acoustic Model Optimization (AMO) 2.0, which improves the precision of first-fit fittings.
A new REM Target Match simulator helps clinicians refine their verification techniques in training or demonstration environments, and a Tinnitus Play/Pause function has been added for greater convenience within the fitting interface.
These software refinements underscore Starkey’s dual commitment to improving both patient outcomes and provider workflow, giving hearing professionals more data-driven tools to personalize fittings and monitor progress over time.
The debut of Omega AI headlines a dynamic day at Starkey Days 2025, which features live demonstrations and hands-on testing for attendees. Guests can experience the new platform in real-world scenarios through Auracast streaming, a “Pepsi Challenge”-like comparison between competing hearing aids, and a torture-lab durability demonstration that showcases the resilience of Starkey’s redesigned shells and coatings.
During the afternoon keynotes, Sawalich is being joined by entrepreneur and Shark Tank star Daymond John, who will speak candidly about his personal experience as a Starkey hearing aid user and the broader importance of accessibility in hearing health.
On the marketing and hearing awareness front, Starkey announced its 2026 Hearing Ambassador is actor and director Kevin Costner, who will also play in his band at the U.S. Bank Stadium on Friday night. Starkey and its SoundGear hearing protection brand, along with its sister company Audibel, also continue as sponsors of NASCAR drivers William Sawalich and Sam Mayer's racing teams.
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The multi-day event continues Friday with presentations from Starkey’s sales and training teams and a keynote address by actor Rob Lowe, followed by a closing celebration at U.S. Bank Stadium (home of the Minnesota Vikings)—a fitting finale for a company celebrating both its Midwestern roots and its global leadership in hearing innovation.
With Omega AI, Starkey delivers its most intelligent and health-focused hearing aid platform yet. With the addition of DNN 360 directional sound processing, the generative AI TeleHear assistance, and industry-first Balance Builder and Respiratory Rate Monitor, Omega AI reflects both the company’s engineering prowess and company founder Bill Austin’s mission to make hearing technology a gateway to better, healthier living. From measurable gains in speech clarity to first-in-class healthable features, Omega AI represents a bold new chapter in Starkey’s pursuit of superhuman hearing.
“Omega AI reflects the heart of who we are as a company,” says Sawalich. “With unmatched technology, dedicated partners, and an unwavering focus on patients, we’re demonstrating how innovation and precision can redefine what better hearing means for people everywhere and give anyone a superhuman advantage.”
HearingTracker and the independent HearAdvisor lab have not yet had the opportunity to test Omega AI, but we hope to do so and report on our results in the near future.
Karl Strom ist der Chefredakteur von HearingTracker. Er war Gründungsredakteur von The Hearing Review und berichtet seit über 30 Jahren über die Hörhilfenindustrie.
