Skullcandy has added an AI layer to its latest true wireless earbuds, the Method 540 ANC, marking the first consumer release of its Skull AI assistant outside beta. The earbuds are positioned as a direct update to the Method 360 ANC, a model that earned attention for offering Bose-tuned sound at a lower price point, but the addition of AI introduces a new cost dynamic that may limit their appeal.
The Method 540 ANC are the only Skullcandy earbuds to support Skull AI at launch. The assistant is activated with a voice command and can handle general questions, simple tasks, and on-device controls. Under the hood, the system relies on Bragi’s AI platform, which passes requests through to OpenAI for processing before delivering spoken responses back through the earbuds. From a technical standpoint, the setup is straightforward and largely invisible to the user, but it is also dependent on cloud connectivity and an ongoing subscription.
Skull AI is offered free for two weeks. After that, access costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. That fee sits on top of the $149.99 asking price for the earbuds themselves. When compared with the still-available Method 360 ANC, which currently sell for under $100, the premium attached to AI becomes hard to ignore. With a year of Skull AI included, total ownership rises to nearly $200, more than double the price of the non-AI alternative.
In terms of hardware, the Method 540 ANC largely mirrors its predecessor. They feature adjustable four-microphone active noise cancellation, up to 40 hours of battery life with the case (32 hours with ANC enabled), Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint and Google Fast Pair, and support through the Skull-iQ companion app. The earbuds also ship with a redesigned clip-style charging case that is smaller and easier to carry than before, a practical improvement that does not depend on software.
The competitive landscape complicates Skullcandy’s pitch. Products like the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 integrate Google’s Gemini assistant, which includes a usable free tier. That makes Skull AI’s paid-only model harder to justify for users who are primarily curious rather than committed.
The Method 540 ANC are not lacking as earbuds. Sound, noise cancellation, and battery performance are in line with expectations for the price. The real question is whether embedding AI behind a subscription meaningfully improves everyday use, or whether it simply raises the cost of features many users may try briefly and abandon.
As Skull AI exits beta in early January 2026, the Method 540 ANC serve as a test case for whether consumers are willing to pay recurring fees for AI in personal audio. For now, the technology works, but its long-term value remains uncertain.
