Company Description
Sound Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SOGP) is a global, AI-powered audio-centric social and entertainment company in the communication services sector. The company describes its mission as building the world’s largest audio platform to better connect and communicate, with a focus on helping people connect better and live happier through the power of sound.
According to Sound Group, the business has evolved since its founding in 2013 from an audio content community to a real-time voice interaction platform, and then into a company deeply engaged in voice applications in the AI era. The company highlights voice as both a carrier of content and a bridge for social connection, and positions audio as a medium that can convey emotion, build trust, and support imagination. Sound Group has been listed on Nasdaq since January 2020.
Business focus and audio ecosystem
Sound Group describes itself as a global audio-centric social and entertainment company. It reports operating an online audio ecosystem that includes creator systems, content creation mechanisms, operational tools, and commercial frameworks. The company states that it has worked to enrich interactive experiences and expand its audio entertainment content ecosystem, with a broader and more diversified content offering supporting growth in its audio entertainment business.
The company also refers to an overall user base across its platforms and apps, and to average total mobile monthly active users as a key operating metric in its financial reporting. Sound Group emphasizes that its online audio business is supported by technology, product design, and data, which together form what it calls a “technology × product × data” growth flywheel.
AI-powered voice technologies
Sound Group describes AI as a core component of its product design, technical architecture, and operational systems. Over time, it reports having integrated technology and voice through intelligent content recommendation, personalized audio content distribution, and sustained investment in automatic speech recognition (ASR), text-to-speech (TTS), and real-time voice interaction.
The company states that it has established full-stack voice AI technology capabilities, including ASR, natural language understanding (NLU), speech synthesis (TTS), intelligent interaction, and real-time audio intelligence. It also refers to capabilities such as multilingual speech recognition, high-fidelity speech synthesis that can generate natural and expressive voices, ultra-light voice cloning and voice conversion using short audio samples, and exploration in areas such as real-time audio and video processing, low-latency voice interaction, and semantic and emotional understanding.
SoundSphere technology system and SoundSphereAI
Sound Group reports that it has built a SoundSphere technology system that integrates three major aspects: foundational infrastructure, advanced AI capabilities, and operational intelligence. This system is described as supporting the stable operation of the company’s existing core businesses while laying a foundation for future product innovation and global expansion.
To showcase these capabilities, Sound Group launched the SoundSphereAI platform as a voice AI technology showcase and experience platform for a global audience. The company states that SoundSphereAI presents selected voice AI technologies and research and development achievements across ASR, TTS, and real-time audio intelligence. The platform includes an interactive experience module that allows users to explore voice AI technology use cases and provides an overview of the company’s voice AI architecture, capability modules, and applied scenarios.
AI application business and global reach
In addition to its online audio entertainment business, Sound Group reports operating an AI application business that leverages its accumulated audio technology expertise. The company states that it has incubated and launched AI-native products for users worldwide, covering usage scenarios such as meeting transcription and real-time translation. According to the company, this AI application business began generating revenue in the first half of 2025 and has been growing steadily.
Sound Group describes itself as a global AI-powered audio company and notes that its AI application business has expanded its global footprint. The company also refers to international AI initiatives and a strategy to build and scale a diversified AI product portfolio for global markets.
Technology, product, and data growth flywheel
Sound Group frequently refers to a growth model based on the interaction of technology, product, and data. The company’s communications describe a virtuous cycle in which technological innovation enhances product capabilities, superior products attract users and generate data, and that data then fuels further technological evolution. This framework is presented as the basis for sustainable growth, improved operational efficiency, and the ability to respond to evolving user preferences and industry dynamics.
Within this framework, AI is described as a “vital conductor” that enhances content innovation, product operations, and targeted user acquisition. The company emphasizes the deep integration of voice and AI as its strategic choice and as a driver of its next phase of growth.
Capital markets and shareholder-focused actions
Sound Group’s shares trade on Nasdaq under the symbol SOGP. The company has communicated several capital markets and shareholder-related actions through its news releases and SEC filings. It reports that its board of directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing repurchases of Class A ordinary shares (including American depositary shares) up to a specified aggregate value. The company later announced the completion and cancellation of repurchased ADSs under this program.
Sound Group also announced a special cash dividend to holders of ordinary shares and ADSs of record as of a specified date, and subsequently disclosed the ex-dividend date and related due bill procedures as determined by Nasdaq. In its communications, the company links these actions to its stated focus on returning value to shareholders and its view of its financial position.
Financial reporting and non-GAAP measures
Sound Group files annual reports on Form 20-F and periodic reports on Form 6-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a foreign private issuer. The company’s financial information is prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In its financial communications, Sound Group also uses non-GAAP financial measures such as non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating income or loss, non-GAAP net income or loss, non-GAAP net income or loss attributable to ordinary shareholders, and non-GAAP basic and diluted net income or loss per ADS.
The company defines these non-GAAP measures primarily by excluding share-based compensation expenses and explains that it uses them for planning, forecasting, and assessing operating performance alongside GAAP measures. At the same time, it notes the limitations of non-GAAP measures and provides reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP metrics in its financial disclosures.
AI innovation, talent development, and partnerships
Beyond its products and platforms, Sound Group highlights efforts related to AI research and talent development. One of its subsidiaries has donated to establish the “HKUST(GZ) Information Hub - LIZHI Innovation Talent Scholarship” at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). According to the company, this scholarship supports students in AI and data science through internships and innovation projects, and is intended to promote integration between industry, academia, and research.
Sound Group describes this collaboration as aligned with its AI business strategy and as part of its long-term commitment to supporting scientific research and cultivating future AI innovation talent. The company links this initiative to its work in areas such as voice AI products, intelligent audio processing, data-driven services, and large audio models.
Corporate evolution and strategic positioning
In its shareholder communications, Sound Group emphasizes a long-term mindset and a focus on voice as a key human interface in the AI era. The company describes a journey from recorded audio to mobile audio livestreaming, then to real-time multi-user voice interaction, and onward to AI-driven voice applications. It presents this evolution as a response to the question of how voice can better connect people to each other and to the world.
Sound Group has articulated a renewed mission and vision to be an AI-powered audio company that helps people connect better and live happier. It positions voice as moving from companionship and expression toward a more action-oriented interface, where communication can become a starting point for action, creation, and new ways of navigating daily life when deeply integrated with AI.
FAQs about Sound Group Inc. (SOGP)
- What does Sound Group Inc. do?
Sound Group Inc. describes itself as a global audio-centric social and entertainment company and a global AI-powered audio company. It focuses on online audio experiences, real-time voice interaction, and AI-powered voice applications that aim to connect people and enhance communication. - How does Sound Group use AI in its business?
The company states that AI is embedded in its product design, technical architecture, and operations. It reports using AI for intelligent content recommendation, personalized audio content distribution, automatic speech recognition, text-to-speech, natural language understanding, real-time voice interaction, and other voice AI capabilities. - What is the SoundSphereAI platform?
SoundSphereAI is described by Sound Group as a voice AI technology showcase and experience platform. It presents selected voice AI technologies and R&D achievements across areas such as speech recognition, speech synthesis, real-time audio intelligence, voice cloning, and voice conversion, and offers interactive modules for exploring use cases. - How does Sound Group describe its growth model?
Sound Group refers to a growth flywheel based on technology, product, and data. It explains that technological innovation enhances product capabilities, better products attract users and generate data, and that data supports further technology development, which together support sustainable growth. - What are Sound Group’s main business areas?
Based on the company’s disclosures, its main areas include an online audio entertainment business built around audio-centric social and entertainment experiences, and an AI application business that offers AI-native products for global users in scenarios such as meeting transcription and real-time translation. - On which exchange is Sound Group listed and under what symbol?
Sound Group Inc. states that it has been listed on Nasdaq since January 2020, and its shares trade under the ticker symbol SOGP. - When was Sound Group founded?
In its shareholder letter, Sound Group notes that it was founded in 2013 and later evolved from an audio content community to a real-time voice interaction platform and an AI-era voice applications company. - How does Sound Group report its financial results?
Sound Group prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and files annual reports on Form 20-F and current reports on Form 6-K with the SEC. It also presents certain non-GAAP measures, primarily excluding share-based compensation, and provides reconciliations to GAAP metrics. - What shareholder return actions has Sound Group announced?
The company has announced a share repurchase program authorizing repurchases of Class A ordinary shares, including ADSs, up to a specified amount, and later reported the completion and cancellation of repurchased ADSs. It has also declared a special cash dividend to holders of ordinary shares and ADSs of record as of a specified date. - How is Sound Group involved in AI talent development?
Sound Group reports that one of its subsidiaries donated to establish the HKUST(GZ) Information Hub - LIZHI Innovation Talent Scholarship at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). The scholarship supports students in AI and data science through internships and innovation projects and is intended to foster AI innovation talent.