Phonak AI-Powered Hearing Aids Recognized with 2026 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards

STAFA, SWITZERLAND – Phonak, a global leader in innovative hearing solutions, today announced that its Virto R Infinio and Infinio Ultra Sphere hearing aids have been named winners in the 2026 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards, presented by the Business Intelligence Group (BIG).

The annual awards program recognizes organizations, products and technologies that are applying artificial intelligence to drive measurable impact across industries. 

Both Phonak products earned recognition in the health category for leveraging AI to dynamically enhance speech clarity and reduce background noise, enabling better hearing outcomes for users in everyday listening environments.

“This recognition reinforces our commitment to developing intelligent hearing solutions that automatically adapt to changing sound environments,” said Oliver Frank, Vice President of Phonak Marketing. “By applying AI in meaningful ways, we're empowering people with hearing loss to communicate more effortlessly in the real world.”

Phonka is pushing AI forward in meaningful ways.

Phonak Virto R Infinio

AI is used to recognize the listening environment (e.g., quiet, speech in noise, music) and automatically adjust the hearing aid settings in real time. It acts as an intelligent control system that optimizes features like noise reduction and directionality to deliver a seamless, personalized listening experience.

Phonak Infinio Ultra Sphere

AI is used to directly process the sound signal in real time, separating speech from background noise using a deep neural network. Instead of only adjusting settings, it enhances the speech signal itself, making conversations clearer, especially in noisy environments.

Since its launch in 2025, the Virto R Infinio has received multiple awards, including the 2026 iF Design Award, 2025 Hearing Health & Technology Matters (HHTM’s) Hearing Technology Innovator Award and the 2026 Business Intelligence Group (BIG) Innovation Award. The Infinio Ultra Sphere also received the 2026 iF Design Award earlier this month.

This BIG AI award underscores Phonak’s leadership in applying AI to hearing technology, combining medical-grade innovation with intuitive, user-focused design to enhance the hearing experience for millions worldwide.

SOURCE: Phonak